Severed Trance
by IRunWithWerewolves
Summary: The love for Edward that Bella felt was a trance that he involuntarily cast on her. Turns out that myth is true as well. The only thing could pull her out of it was her own personal sun. This was my first fanfic. JacobxBella all the way. COMPLETE-R
1. Goodbye

Author's Note:

This is my very first fanfic. Don't expect this to be the best story you've ever read. I am a fair writer, or so I've been told, so I hope this won't be a horrible story. I am simply not experienced with this sort of thing. Anyway, I have just a few pointers. First of all, I am starting with the scene in New Moon after she gets back with Edward and Alice from Volterra, and she is in bed. To support my new and improved version of it, I have changed a few past circumstances. Bella did want to save Edward, and she did willingly go to save him, but she didn't really have the same feelings for him as before. (I.E.- Jacob had more of an effect on her heart.) Second, I know that the actual dialogue from New Moon is not perfectly quoted whatsoever, and the conversation was way too short. Part of this was because of copyright infringement, another was the fact that I was too lazy to walk to my bookshelf and take out my beaten up copy of New Moon to check, and I also wanted to hurry and get to the good parts with a certain teenage werewolf. Either way, you'll catch on. I hope you enjoy this fanfic, especially my fellow team Jacob fans. I love you and we all know that Jacob rocks! XOXO

-Chapter 23, roughly page 500-501, NEW MOON-

I awoke with a jolt. Such horrible dreams I had had the night before… The night before! All of the memories came rushing back to me with a burst of realization. By now he would be gone. The hole burned a little at the sides as wave of sadness rushed over me. Sure, I didn't necessarily have romantic feelings for him anymore, but it still hurt to think of losing him.

But then I began to feel cold hands on me.

"Mmm?" I murmured, confused.

"Are you awake?" Edward's soft voice whispered at me.

"Edward!" I yelled too loud.

"Shh! Yes, it's me,"

"How long have I been asleep?"

"About fourteen hours,"

"Wow. Why haven't you… gone yet?" I whispered the last two words very quietly.

"What do you mean?"

"Look, I know you feel guilty about everything that's happened in the past few months, but it doesn't mean you have to hang around and wait for me to get over it. I'm managing now. I can let you go,"

"Bella, you don't have to let me go. I'm not leaving you again,"

"What?"

"You heard me. I only left you to protect you. What happened with Jasper doesn't matter. I love you and I'm going to stay here,"

I remained silent. This was not what I expected him to say. In a way, I didn't really want him to say it. Now I was forced to make a choice. Did our past love mean nothing now? Or was it really even love? Did all of the pain and sorrow rip through my heart after he left because he just had the body of a god? A vampire's trance? Was my personal sun the only thing that broke the evil spell? Why had it taken me so long to realize this? Was it just because I was so deep under the trance that I didn't even consider it? Really consider it? This was fascination. It was the outer beauty I loved, not the inner.

I knew what this meant. It meant that, not only was I a ridiculous human who was really ignorant enough to believe that I actually loved him. That it was not beauty that kept me tied to him. It meant that real love had been staring me in the face all along. I was just too deeply succumbed to realize it. It also meant that I had to end this. I had to end this here and now before it got too far.

I knew it would hurt him. I felt horrible about it. He had actually loved me for who I was. That was something I could never repay him for. I would just have to accept that. I took a deep breath and stared him straight in the eyes. I felt no love for him, I could tell. Telling him goodbye was really going to suck, but I had to do it. I had to, so maybe I could keep my personal sun, and maybe, just maybe, let myself be held to its gravity forever. But I had to break away from Pluto. I had to stop being a Satellite, then grow, and release myself from the seductive pull of the tiny, cold, distant planet. This would not be easy.

My pondering of this lasted several seconds, maybe even minutes. Finally it became too much for Edward. He looked at me nervously, and said, "What is it? Am I too late?"

I swallowed hard. "Yes," I told him in a broken whisper.

He looked down. He tried to hide the pain in his eyes, but even he couldn't cover it up completely.

"That seems… more than fair. I will not bother you again," He slowly sat up, and pulled me up with him. Still not completely hiding his agony, he held out his hand.

That was when the tears began to spill over. I pulled him in a full-blown hug. Then I whispered quietly in his ear, "I will always love you, just not in the same way. Never forget that,"

"I won't. I'll hold on to it as long as I live," he promised solemnly. And with that, my vampire disappeared forever.


	2. Pain, Permission, and Persuasion

A/N:

So I decided to make this a story with more than one chapter. I really have no idea how many chapters there will be. Probably only a few, but who knows? I'm just glad I'm past the whole, "saying goodbye to Edward" thing. Now I can focus on Jacob. Anyway, it took me a while to finish this, just because I was never quite satisfied with it. I'm extremely hard on myself. But in the end I was pretty happy with it. And as I said before, keep in mind the background circumstances for this story are changed, so forget about New Moon except for the basic plotline, okay? :D Enjoy, and please review!

-Chapter 2-

I wasn't sure how long I lay down on my bed. But it must've been hours, because when I finally came back to Earth, the clock said it was nine thirty in the morning.

Well, I had ended it. I had severed my last connection with Edward, and I would most likely never see him again. It was really better this way. I was past phase one. Now I had to figure out how to apologize to Jacob. I just thanked my lucky stars that it was Saturday and at least I wouldn't have to face school just yet. I had to talk to _him _first.

I rolled out of bed and ripped on an old t-shirt and some jeans. Then I slugged my way down the stairs. My body completely froze when I heard a voice.

"Bells?" Charlie said quietly as I passed by him sitting on the couch.

Crap. So this wouldn't be the clean prison break I had hoped for. I sighed and turned to him.

"I'm so sorry, Dad. I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am. But I can't talk about it right now. I have to see Jacob. I broke up with Edward, and he's never coming back. I want to see Jacob so I can apologize to him and make everything better. It's all over. I'm fine now," I smiled at him as I finished my brief summary of the emotional rollercoaster I had gone through in the past few hours.

His face turned several colors as his emotions went from shock, to anger, to surprise, then finally to elation. He jumped from the cushion, making the springs creak, and wrapped his arms around me in a big bear hug screaming, "I knew it! I knew you'd see the light one day! I don't care if you just ran away for three days without telling me where you were going. Just go see Jake!"

I didn't expect his reaction at all, but it made things a lot easier. I beamed at him.

"Thanks, Dad. I love you. I'll be back soon,"

I ran to get my keys, but then slowed my pace as I went out the door. I didn't want to slip on the ice and break my arm today.

My car's internal speed limit had never bothered me until now. Pushing sixty, I finally decided that was as fast as the old piece of junk would go. I growled at my truck until I neared the borders of the reservation.

Butterflies suddenly formed in my stomach, and I got a lump in my throat as I thought about what would happen next. This had to be done the right way. I planned my approach as I passed by the city line.

When I pulled in to the driveway of the small red house, Jacob was there in the doorway. His expression wasn't exactly happy. He had the mask on. It wasn't my Jacob, but I deserved much worse. I slowly climbed out of the cab and walked to face him.

"Hi," I squeaked.

He said nothing. He just leaned on the door frame with his arms crossed.

"So… I have a lot to apologize for," I began. He snorted.

"Yeah, you do," His voice, though hard and cold, still sent a thrill through me.

"Well, I guess I should start from the beginning. Edward came back, as you know,"

His eyes narrowed just the tiniest bit. "Yeah, where is the bloodsucker, by the way?"

"He's gone,"

His face softened. "Oh, so you weren't able to… save him?" he asked.

"No, I saved him. He's fine," I sighed

His face hardened once more. "Then he left you again?" he demanded, not sounding at all surprised.

"Wrong again,"

"Then what happened?"

"He wanted to know if I still wanted him. I said no. I don't love him anymore. I love someone else now," I looked up at him.

He seemed shocked. Maybe I should make it more obvious.

"He left me broken, but it was only under a trance. It seems like the vampire legends about _that_ are also true. I guess they all are. I wonder when the zombie apocalypse will happen," I smiled briefly, "but that doesn't matter. What matters is that you were the only one who was able to pull me out of it. And I don't know about you, but to me, that means something. I know that, before, you felt more for me than I did you. I don't think that's so true now. I love you, Jacob Black. I choose you over Edward, and I'm not going to let you go without a fight,"

For a minute, he didn't move an inch, but then he finally spoke. "Yeah? How can I be so sure that you won't go running back to him tomorrow! Or after you just finish whatever sick game you're playing,"

It stung when I realized how much I had actually hurt him. Maybe this would be even harder than I had thought. "Because he's gone! I don't love him anymore! I love you, Jacob! Why can't you believe that?"

He sighed and closed his eyes tightly. "I just can't," He began to walk back into his house.

"Wait!" I pleaded, "What will make you trust me again? What can I do? Jacob, please!" The air came through my lungs faster and faster. I began to panic. What if I had lost him? Would he ever forgive me? I had to try, and I also had an idea. _I have to tell him, _I thought.

"Do you remember when I jumped off the cliff? And you came to save me?" He grunted to show that he was listening. I continued. "Well, _this is really embarrassing_, but just remember that I didn't really know much about how being a werewolf works then. Anyway, I was jumping mostly for the adrenaline rush, and the threat of killing myself didn't bother me that much either, but I also did it, maybe just out of a crazed whim, because I thought that if I came close enough to dying you might change me into a… a werewolf. I thought that it worked the same way as the movies, that you could bite someone and turn them into a werewolf, just like vampires. It was a completely stupid and selfish and ridiculous idea, but I wanted to stay with you forever. I was willing to give up my human life to join you, Jacob, and I still am, even though I now know it isn't actually possible to do. I'm extremely selfish and a huge idiot, but that was what I was really thinking in the back of my mind," I couldn't believe that I had just admitted my most embarrassing, and downright childish, memory to him. I blushed a deep red.

A smile slowly crept up on his lips. "You are so stupid," he said, but I knew I had hit home.

He ran over to me in one bound and pulled me up into his arms. My heart beat fast and blood pulsed through my veins. I had never felt quite this good with Edward. Something had been missing before, but not now. Not anymore.

The happiness overcame me. This moment was so perfect, so right. My childish shyness completely disappeared, and my lips were on his. They synchronized with each other in odd new ways that I had never felt before. We didn't have to be careful with each other. There was no danger here.

When he finally broke the kiss, I felt myself pout. He laughed loudly.

"I've wanted this for so long, Bella. You have no idea," he rasped.

"Oh, I have a very good idea,"

"Um, so could I… c-could I…"

"Spit it out, Jake,"

"Could I call you my girlfriend now?" The words came out slurred and he looked down, blushing. He was _my_ Jacob again.

"If you want," I smiled and kissed him again.

"Sweet!"

I laughed. "Are you going to go brag to your pack brothers now?"

"Yeah, I was thinking about it," he mumbled.

And right then, I simply didn't care. I was now a member of the Quileute "family." I got a warm feeling inside thinking about that. I laughed again.

"I guess I'm a wolf girl now,"

"I like the sound of that," he mused. Then he looked me straight in the eyes for the first time.

At first his eyes were full of nothing but pure happiness, but then they changed somehow. They were like a blind man seeing the sun for the first time….

********

"Jacob? Jacob!" I yelled at him.

His mouth remained open, until realization and warmth spread over his face.

"I think I just imprinted on you, though I'm not sure why it took so long,"

"What? What the hell is _imprinting_?"

He looked surprised. "Oh, right, I never told you!"

He pulled me by the hand into his house and sat me down on the loveseat. I cuddled next to him and he pulled me closer with his huge arms.

"Now, explain," I demanded.

"Okay, so this is really weird, but here goes…" And he explained everything to me then. About Sam, Emily, and Leah, about imprinting, about Jared and Kim, and how the same thing had just happened to him.

After he had finished hours of explanation, I came upon a loose end. Something still didn't make sense.

"But if you imprint as soon as you look that person in the eyes, why didn't you imprint on me sooner?" I asked.

"I don't know, that's what I've been trying to figure out this entire time,"

I thought about it for a while, until I realized something. Maybe wolves only imprinted when the girl wasn't already claimed. Maybe he didn't imprint on me that first day he saw me as a werewolf because Edward still had me under the "trance". It all fit. Emily was single when Sam imprinted, and so was Kim with Jared. I smiled at myself. It wasn't often when I actually figured something out -that was this weird- all by myself.

"You look like you know something," he accused.

"I think I do. I think that wolves only imprint when a girl isn't taken. You didn't imprint on me earlier because I still loved Edward. Think about it. Both Kim and Emily were single when Jared and Sam imprinted on them," I concluded

"Wow that makes so much more sense than what I guessed. That explains everything then," his tone was satisfied.

I sighed and put my head on his shoulder. I suddenly felt tired, which was ridiculous considering the enormous amount of sleep I had gotten the night before. He put his head on mine. I could have stayed there forever.

I was almost asleep when I suddenly heard a long, demanding howl.

"Dammit! I forgot there was a pack meeting today," Jacob cursed as he looked out the window.

"That's okay. Go brag to your brothers about everything," I laughed.

He looked a little guilty, like that was exactly what he planned to do. I knew it was.

"Hey, don't go! Tell you what, the meeting should be over in about twenty minutes. Why don't you go ahead over to Emily's and we'll meet you guys there?" he said hopefully.

"Are you sure she won't mind? I don't want to intrude,"

He snorted, then laughed. "Emily? No way, she'll be fine with it, don't worry,"

"All right, fine,"

"Thanks, Bells," He planted another kiss on my lips and gave me a tight hug.

I smiled at him. He seemed to remember something then.

"And by the way, I love you," he said quietly. Anyone could tell he wasn't quite used to that yet.

"I know," I said. With all my heart I knew it was true.


	3. Thinking

A/N:

I am very pleased with the speed of which these chapters are coming out. So far it's about one or two chapters a day. I am discovering just how much I love writing this, so for right now, I don't expect this speedy flow of chapters to stop soon. Especially, because my school just let out for winter break. Three weeks off! WOOT! I have a feeling this story will have a lot of chapters. I hope that's okay with you guys. I would also like to thank you so much for your kind reviews. Your compliments make me feel awesome and encourage me to write more and more. I was really excited about this chapter because I get to add in all the wolves, especially Sam with Emily. They're my second favorite couple, and I was happy to throw in a little scene with them. If you have any comments or suggestions please review. Enjoy! XOXO

-Chapter 3-

I had a lot to think about during my drive to Emily's house. So much had happened in such a small amount of time. I was glad I was alone right now. It gave me time to mull things over. I made a mental list of all the really big things that were nagging at my brain.

A: Not only had I broken up with Edward, but Jacob was now my _boyfriend_.

B: I had found out that I hadn't really loved Edward at all during those months. The guilt and dizzying shock of that had still not fully faded away.

And C: I would most likely never see the Cullens again. I was a "wolf girl" now. And the saddening thing was not the fact that I would never see them again, but the fact that I really didn't mind.

The little dirt driveway appeared on the right side of the road as I had seen it twenty times before. I pulled in with a scowl on my face. I hated going somewhere uninvited.

When I jumped out of the cab and walked toward the door, Emily was already there. I almost laughed at how much she looked like Jacob leaning against the doorframe. But I was happy –and a little shocked- to see that there were three differences between the two images, besides the very obvious height difference. One, Emily's face was kind and surprised. Two, she was holding a mixing bowl in her left hand and a wooden spoon in her left. I was starving, and the smell was heavenly. And three, there was a small but noticeable bulge in her belly.

My eyes popped open wide, but I instantly pulled myself together. Knowing Emily, she hadn't told anyone yet, and was probably trying to hide it.

"Hey, Emily. I'm really sorry this was such short notice, but Jacob told me you wouldn't mind if I stayed here while they had their pack meeting," I said, blushing at my rudeness.

"Oh, it's no problem, Bella. You're always welcome here. The way Jacob thinks of you, you're pretty much part of our family," She smiled.

"Yeah, I was kind of wondering if I could talk to you about that," I admitted.

"Um… sure, Bella. Come and sit," she motioned her hand to the little old wooden table. I had always loved it. It completed the entire feel of her cozy house.

I sat down on one of the rickety chairs and began to nervously straighten out my clothes.

"You're fidgeting like crazy. Spit it out, Bella. You can tell me anything," That girl was never fooled.

"Edward came back," I mumbled.

"Oh," Her face fell.

"Yeah. I told him I didn't love him anymore, and it's true,"

Her face lightened again, and a smirk played at the corners of her lips. I continued.

"I pretty much sent him away, or rather, he sent himself away. But it was _weird_, Emily. I didn't even feel anything for him anymore. You know those legends about the trances that vampires put on young girls? I think they're true, but not exactly right, just like all the other legends. Maybe vampires do put trances on people, just not voluntarily, and not in the same "sleep walking" way. Maybe they just make people consciously fall in love with them. People just haven't figured this out yet because there was never a relationship like mine and Edward's before. Either way, Jacob was the one who pulled me out of it and brought me to my senses again,"

She leaned back in the chair and turned her head to the side, thinking.

"Huh," she finally said.

"It's just a theory, but it makes sense, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, it really does. But what about Jacob? You know how he feels about you," She gave me the look.

"That was actually the other thing I wanted to talk to you about. We're sort of… a couple now, I guess,"

She jumped out of her seat. "Really? That's wonderful! You two are perfect for each other, you know,"

"He's pretty happy, too. He's probably bragging to his brothers right now," I rolled my eyes at his boyish pride.

"I'm sure," she said, giving me a look of understanding. Then her face changed somehow and she looked at her stomach, putting both of her hands on it.

"You know, I haven't told Sam yet. I've been trying to hide it from him until the time is right, but I'm sure you've noticed," she whispered.

"I know he'll be happy about it," I assured her, "he imprinted on you, for goodness sake. How could he not be happy?" Saying that reminded me of another key point on my agenda.

"Oh, and speaking of imprinting, I have something else to tell you that I forgot about before," I added.

"What's that?"

"Jake imprinted. On me. Now, I know what you're thinking-" I interjected, answering her unsure and confused expression, "-werewolves are supposed to imprint as soon as they see that person, but I don't think that's necessarily true. I have another theory. I think that wolves only imprint if that girl isn't already with someone else. I still loved Edward before, but now I don't, and Jacob imprinted on me as soon as he looked me straight in the eyes after that. You and Kim were both single when it happened,"

"Wow, Bella. You've got an explanation for _everything_, don't you?" she laughed.

"Yeah, I think I'm on a roll today,"

"Well, I guess everything is how it should be with you now. I'm glad,"

"So am I. More than you know," I suddenly heard footsteps coming up the porch.

"Oh, looks like they're here," she said, standing up.

"I guess so. Well, it was nice to talk to you. We should vent to each other again sometime,"

"Absolutely. You're the only human girl my age that I can actually talk to without having to worry about secrets," she laughed as the wolf boys filed in the doorway.

"Same here," I mumbled.

I screamed when I was suddenly lifted four feet off the ground by two huge arms and spun around in a circle.

"Jeez, Bella," Jacob laughed, "you weigh _nothing_!"

"Hey, just because I'm small, doesn't mean I enjoy being assaulted by mutant werewolves," I laughed, and so did everyone else.

"Me too!" Emily screamed as Sam did the same thing to her.

Only now did I notice how Emily managed to hide her growing stomach from Sam. She always had something covering her middle section, hiding it from view, but she was never too obvious about it. I shot her a meaningful look. It was about time she told him. She looked like she was at least two months along already. How could she keep the secret for that amount of time without him finding out? You had to hand it to her, she was really good.

Noticing my stare, she nodded in nervous agreement, and whispered to Sam, "Could I talk to you for a second?"

He nodded, sensing that there was something up, and followed her into the other room.

"What was that about?" Embry asked, sitting at the table and loading his plate.

I looked down and concentrated on eating the bacon that Emily had made beforehand.

"Bella?" said Jared, knowing instantly that I had a very good idea of what was happening.

"Hmm?" I said innocently while looking up at him.

"What's going on? I know you know," Jacob said.

As if something had just answered his question, everyone froze, and stared wide-eyed at the room Emily and Sam were in.

"I think you just got your question answered," I said calmly. They all nodded in synchronization. I stifled a giggle.

We all listened intently, and I was sure they could hear the entire conversation perfectly clearly, while I struggled to make out a few words. Sam wasn't mad, exactly. That much was clear. It just sounded like he was completely shocked, while Emily was explaining things calmly. Then, thankfully, they moved to another side of the room where there was a hollow in the wall and we could all hear with perfect clarity. I knew I was eavesdropping, but I wanted to know what was happening.

"Are you sure?" Sam said quietly.

"Very sure," said Emily. There was a creak in the floorboard. She had obviously moved in some way. Sam gasped, and I realized what she was doing. He had probably just seen her bulge from the correct angle.

"Emily, how long have you been pregnant?" he asked, shocked.

"Three months today," she said quietly.

"How long have you known, then?"

"Four days. I had no idea until I noticed that I had gained a couple pounds. I haven't had any morning sickness or pain. I went to the doctor and he said that some women don't have them. I was just lucky,"

"Well, I guess I'm glad you didn't keep the secret for too long, at least,"

"I would never do that,"

"I know,"

"So what do we do now?"

"Well, the wedding is in two weeks. We should be able to hide the bump and make it look to our parents like we waited until after marriage,"

"Thank God for that," she sighed.

"Well, we're having a baby," he whispered.

"Yep,"

"Oh my God! We're having a baby!" he yelled. It must've taken a while for the fact to hit.

"Uh huh," she laughed.

"In there?"

"Where else would they be?"

"Well, yeah, I guess so. Wait… _they_?" he gasped. "Is it twins?"

"No,"

"Oh," he sighed, relieved. "Then why did you say 'they'?"

"Because they're triplets,"

There was complete silence in both rooms.


	4. Unexpected Surprises

A/N:

So, here's chapter four, and I think this is my best yet. I didn't expect it to be so easy to write a multi-chapter story! Anyway, I would like to quickly thank two people. One is _goldengirl62 _for her kind reviews. I don't know how many people have actually read my story, but you seem to be a consistent reader. You give an extremely nice review on every chapter, and for that I thank you SO much. I would also like to thank _A Scribble-chan _for giving me my very _first_ review! You win! And all of you just remember, TEAM JACOB! XOXO

-Chapter 4-

The shock saturated the entire house. It filled every corner. The tension radiated between everyone, and bounced back and forth between each worried glance someone shot at another. The questions bounced along with that tension._ Three babies? Is she serious? _Finally, mercifully, a voice broke the long minutes of silence.

"Well, that was unexpected," Quil said.

"I think that's a bit of an understatement," Jacob shot back, his voice half-choked.

"Mmmhmm…" was all I could get out.

"I'm going to take Bella home," Jacob said suddenly.

I was only too happy to leave. "Okay," I said quickly, and followed him out the door.

As soon as we got into the fresh air, Jacob put his arm around my shoulders. I huddled next to his warmth. Even though it was May, it was still a little chilly. I would've said that I missed Arizona, but I couldn't say that anymore without it being a lie.

"I don't really want to go home yet," I mumbled.

"I don't want you to, either. That's why we're going to go back to my house. I just wanted to get out of there,"

"So did I. Poor guys… they have a lot on their plate now. And Em's going to be _huge_," I felt pity for her as I thought about how she would probably be bedridden for the last few weeks of her pregnancy.

"Yeah," He laughed, lifting me into the passenger seat of the truck.

"Hey, how did the meeting go?" I was really getting curious about the reaction of the pack. I hoped they didn't mind about everything.

"Fine. The guys are thrilled, by the way. They were going to attack you with congratulations, but that plan was kind of deterred,"

"Well, then that's one good thing, I suppose,"

"No, but they really are thrilled, and not just about the fact that there won't be any more bloodsuckers bothering us anytime soon. They're pretty fond of you, Bella. But then again, who wouldn't like you?" He smiled and took my hand.

I laughed. "I could think of a lot of people,"

"I'm sure you could,"

I didn't say anything; I just leaned closer into him. I never wanted to let go. He responded by wrapping his arm around me and kissing my hair.

When he pulled into his driveway and parked the car, he didn't make any move to get out. He just stayed in the exact same position, except he wrapped his other arm around me and pulled me onto his lap. I was happy to obey, as that arrangement was even warmer than before. I turned my head around and pressed my lips to his.

He did not attempt to pull away or break the kiss; he only made it deeper and deeper, until we were both gasping for breath.

"We should go inside," he panted.

I had other ideas. I pulled the lever and leaned the driver's seat all the way back.

"No, not just yet," I whispered evilly, as I kissed him again and slowly pulled his shirt off.

********

I woke up on Jacob's bed, with him quietly snoring beside me. His arms were still around my waist, and I was sweating so much it felt like someone had dropped a bucket of water over my head. I rolled over and looked at the digital clock. It told me that it was already five thirty p.m., and I had slept for about six hours. I felt completely rested, but I didn't want to wake up just yet. I looked over to Jacob's sleeping face, which wasn't exactly sleeping anymore.

"Hi, there," He smiled.

"Hi," I said nervously, biting my lip and blushing. Had the last few hours really happened? It just didn't seem real. But I guessed it had to be, because otherwise I wouldn't be completely naked in Jacob's bed. Jacob's bed! The thought was dizzying.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're amazing?" He whispered, lacing my fingers through his.

"Oh, yeah. You told me several times a few hours ago," I laughed, looking back at the memory.

"I guess I did. It's true, you know,"

"I'm glad _you_ think so,"

"I do," He assured me, kissing me softly.

"Hey! Lovebirds! Break it up! We need to talk to Jake right now!" Jared yelled, rapping on the window of Jacob's room.

I screamed involuntarily, grabbing one of the sheets and wrapping it around myself. All the boys laughed outside, except for Sam. His expression was an odd mix of elation and worry. It was the classic face for most new fathers.

Jacob looked furious. "What the _hell_, guys? I'm kinda busy right now! You know, you could've done something crazy like, oh, I dunno, let Bella get dressed?"

"We didn't know what you two were up to. But now that I do know, I'm pretty impressed. You scored on the first day, man!" said Paul.

"As soon as Bella is out of this room, I'm going to kick every one of your furry asses," Jacob threatened.

I thought I had better get dressed now. I picked up my clothes that were strewn here and there all over the floor. Then I backed into the bathroom.

I dressed quickly, and hid there an extra few minutes. I was too embarrassed to go outside again, but I couldn't stay in there forever. Momentarily stopping to check the mirror, I made my way back to his room. Thankfully, the wolves were gone.

Jacob looked back at me with embarrassed eyes. "Bella, I am so sorry. They had no right to do that, and-"

"No, Jake. Trust me, it's fine. What did they need to talk about?"

"They just needed to discuss the new arrangements regarding the, er, little surprises,"

"Oh. So how did Sam take it?"

"Well, he's excited, but a little worried, of course. Money and care shouldn't be too much of a problem, because everyone on the reservation is going to pitch in. He's just nervous that he's going to suck as a dad,"

"That's not true. He's going to be great,"

"That's what we keep telling him, but he won't listen. It's just the shock of it all that's making him not think straight. It'll pass,"

"Yeah,"

He sighed. "So I guess I should take you home now,"

I smiled and took his hand. "C'mon"

The drive home was pleasant. We chatted about school and life. We kept this up until we came to my little house.

"I'll call you," I promised.

"You better," He threatened, kissing me passionately.

"I love you," I said quickly, then jumped out of the cab and ran into the house.

Well, that was probably the most childish thing I've ever done, but it gave me a thrill and made me giggle.

"What's so funny?" Charlie asked from the living room, making me jump.

"Nothing," I said quickly.

"How'd it go?"

"Fine,"

He eyed me skeptically. "Sounds better than fine to me,"

"Well, yeah. I guess it _was_ better than fine,"

"Tell me, Bells,"

"Jake and I made up," _And made out_.

"That's great,"

"Yeah. And we're sort of a couple now," I cringed at what he would say.

He just grinned, completely unsurprised. "I'm glad," He said happily, and turned back around to some baseball game he was watching.

"Well, I'm going up to my room to do some… studying," I told him, running up the stairs.

"Kay," He said passively, not paying any attention at all. Good.

I stripped into my pajamas and climbed into bed. It was only seven, but I needed to relax, and this was the best way to do that. I was worried, too. A few minutes ago, I had realized that neither of us had been protected during the…. Last few hours. I would just go to the hospital in the morning and take the after pill. Problem solved. I relaxed a little.

Right when I was about to fall asleep, I felt two warm arms wrap around me.

"Jake?" I said drowsily.

"It's me," he whispered.

"What are you doing here?" I said a little louder, though he was definitely not unwelcome here.

"You didn't call,"

"When I said that, I meant I would call tomorrow. I guess that wasn't enough for you," I laughed and cuddled closer to him.

"No, it wasn't,"

"Well, you can sneak into my room anytime you want,"

"I'm going to hold you to that,"

"I know,"

He put my head under his chin and kissed my hair. "I love you, too, you know. You ran before I could answer you," He whispered.

I laughed. "I don't know what came over me. I just felt the need to run,"

"You're so odd, Bella. But honestly, I wouldn't have you any other way,"

"That's good. As long as I don't drive you away,"

He looked shocked. "_Never_," he amended, pulling me even closer in an almost protective way.

"That's why I chose you, you know," I blurted, not even thinking about it. "Not only because you're a better –and _younger_- person than Edward is in general, but because you never left. And I know you never will,"

He turned me around and kissed me roughly. Even after several minutes had passed, I couldn't bring myself to care that I was completely out of breath. I never wanted this to end.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a pale white figure disappear into the trees below. I could've sworn I heard a broken sob. _About time he realized it_, I thought.


	5. Kill Two Birds With One Stone

A/N:

Chapter five is here! We all know we'll miss the Cullens a little, but in order for her to have Jacob, they have to go away. Note: you have to have read New Moon to understand Bella's dream. They were both elderly when they looked at the mirror. The idea is that, unlike Edward, she will be able to grow old with him. Yes, I want to name my children Killion Derek and Damian Arthur. Faolan is completely my sister's, but it actually does have that meaning. I thought it was too perfect and I had to add it in. However, Faolan's middle name was of my own choice. Also, keep in mind that I am going to name my chapters now. It looks boring if I don't.  
As I always say, thanks to everyone for reviewing. They are all appreciated. My internet isn't working right now so just know that I am trying as best I can to get these chapters out quickly. Enjoy! XOXO

-Chapter 5-

I awoke sweating once again. I needed to start turning up the A.C. to compensate for this giant furnace on my bed. It didn't help that it was June, and even Forks wouldn't be too chilly. _But it'll be nice in the winter_, I thought.

"Bella?" Jacob's husky voice said.

"Hmm?" I said blissfully, rolling over to face him.

He seemed to change his mind about something. "Nothing," He mumbled.

"Okay then. What time is it?"

"About two in the morning,"

"Want to go back to sleep?"

"I was hoping you'd say that," He breathed, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me closer.

"Wait," I said suddenly, jumping up. I walked over to the corner of the room and turned the air conditioning on to full blast. Then I curled back in to the circle of his arms.

"Good idea," he laughed, but I was already half asleep.

I had an odd dream that night. In a way, it was much the same as the one I had had several months ago on my eighteenth birthday. But it was different.

I was still in my house, looking at Gran. We both smiled at each other. I knew she had at least as many questions as I did. I was about to say something, but I was interrupted by a voice. It was husky, and very deep. I turned around, and so did Gran.

"Bella," Jacob whispered fondly. He was old, hunched over, and wrinkled, but he was still my Jacob. He slowly made his way to my side.

"Jacob," my own aged voice sighed.

He took my hand and we both faced the mirror, smiling.

My eyes opened slowly. The early morning light came in through the window and gave Jacob's russet skin an incredible glow. I stared in admiration at the beautiful person that I could now call my own. He would never be anyone else's, and neither would I. And unlike Edward, we would be able to grow old together and have children and grandchildren. This was how it was supposed to be.

I was so lost in his beauty that I didn't even notice when he woke up. He waved his hand in front of my face.

"Hello?" He laughed.

I jumped. "Sorry,"

"You were staring at me for a really long time. Can't say that I minded," He flashed a grin at me.

I blushed, and changed the subject. "So, how did you sleep?"

"Fine, you?"

"It was…. Good," I paused, thinking about my dream.

He didn't pry. "What do you want to do today?"

"Well, it's a Sunday, and both of our dads are out fishing. We can do whatever we want," I said, biting my lip.

"Then I think I have an idea," He pressed his lips to mine, and rolled us over until he was hovering over me. Somehow he hadn't broken the kiss once while doing this.

I pulled his shirt off and my heart went into my throat. His perfect muscles always drove me crazy. There was only one thing that made me crazier, and that was a little south of the border.

I couldn't tell how long we were at it. I didn't really care. All I could think about was him. Everything around me was Jacob. There was nothing that _wasn't_ Jacob.

But, eventually, all good things must end. And apparently he was too hungry to have sex anymore. I had to agree with him on that one.

We both got dressed and went downstairs. I made him pancakes, eggs, and bacon, and made some cereal for myself.

"This is great, Bells," he said with his mouth full, "It's almost as good as Emily's,"

I smacked him in the head with a rolled-up newspaper. He laughed, and then choked.

"Serves you right," I said, giggling.

After breakfast, Jacob had to go on patrols, because Victoria was still out there. And, once again, I would have nothing to do. I couldn't take care of the much-needed after pill business, because we hadn't used protection for this time, either. I would have to do it tomorrow morning so I could take care of both. I guess you could call it killing two birds with one stone.

_More like one baby with two stones_, the back of my mind told me. I gasped at the horrid thought, and tried to push it out of my mind.

_You're not even pregnant yet, if something even happened at all. It takes a while for things to take effect. This is_ not _an abortion, _I scolded myself. It helped to calm me just a little. I thought it best to get out of this house right now.

I ended up just going to the grocery store. I needed to pick up a few things, anyway. After that, I went to the bookstore, since reading helped me escape reality.

With my amazing luck, I just happened to wander into the pregnancy help section first. I ran out as fast as I could manage without falling on my face, but they seemed to call after me, "You can't run away! It's going to happen to you!" I was becoming certifiably insane.

The next morning, I left a note on my bed for Jacob before I drove to the hospital. The note didn't specifically tell what I was doing, of course; it just said that I had an early doctor's appointment. It wasn't necessarily a lie.

I went through the procedures in a rush. I was almost too hurried. When it was over and I had gotten my period, I nearly ran out of the hospital room. Then something stopped me in my tracks.

I spotted a tall, pale figure standing five feet away from me, talking to a nurse. My stomach dropped to my feet. This meant that, not only had the Cullens not left yet, Carlisle had heard the entire conversation that I had with the nurse about sex and the after pill. _Oh, crap, crap, crap! _My mind raced as I thought what to do. But Carlisle was the most mature, the most understanding, and the most compassionate. He would understand.

"Please don't tell anyone, especially Edward. It would kill him," I whispered as low as I could manage while still making my voice clear. I still cared about Edward's feelings, despite some of my very uncaring thoughts that had passed through my mind a few days ago.

The nurse left the hallway, and he nodded in my direction. I figured I better add this while I was at it.

"I will always love you all. Never let them forget that," I whispered to him, repeating what I had told Edward just a few days ago. I could feel the tears threatening to spill over.

We smiled at each other. It was a silent promise.

I turned on my heels and sprinted my way out of the hospital, tripping several times.

When I got into my truck, I took several deep breaths to calm myself, and wiped away the few tears that had made it over on my way here.

The drive back was better than the drive there. Now that I had, once again, killed two birds with one stone, I could relax. One of these birds was finally taking the damn after pill. Maybe the books would shut up now, at least. But the second bird was saying goodbye to the Cullens. I knew it would be more painful to do, but it had taken less time than I expected. I was thankful for that. Now I could concentrate on other things. I drove in peace.

When I got back to my house, I realized that I had spent almost four hours. Not bad. Jacob should be back any minute. And, as if on cue, Jacob walked through the door with nothing but a pair of sweats on.

His arms wrapped around me tightly and he kissed from ear, down to my neck. I giggled.

"Bella," he sighed into my ear. His breath tickled.

"Get a room, you two," Jared groaned as he walked in the door. Sam, Embry, Paul, and Quil followed behind him.

"Oh!" I yelled in surprise as I quickly pulled away from him. My face burned. "What are you guys doing here?" I asked, confused as to why they would all just suddenly decide to show up at my house.

"Well, Sam is convinced that Emily isn't in the condition to be doing any strenuous activity," Embry began.

"And we were wondering if maybe you wouldn't mind filling in for her," Jacob finished Embry's sentence guiltily.

"_Fine_," I half-sighed, half-groaned, like doing this was some huge burden. But I couldn't help smiling. In truth, I was happy to do anything for my new family.

Cooking for the pack proved to be quite the entertainment session. Their squabbles were pretty hilarious. And they didn't seem to mind that my food wasn't near as good as Emily's. Some of them even complimented it. I beamed when they did.

Sam was obviously not completely over the nerves. It didn't show on his face anymore, but he seemed to be very preoccupied. It was sweet that he seemed so excited about his children. I knew that Emily, Kim and I were probably the luckiest girls on the planet. With that thought in mind, I leaned against Jacob some more.

My gesture seemed to remind everyone else of something. "Oh, yeah! We never congratulated you guys!" Paul said, "I'm just glad Bella finally came to her senses,"

"Me, too," I laughed.

"To common sense," Quil said, holding his glass in the air.

We all touched glasses.

"But me and Jake aren't the only ones with good news," I said, turning to Sam, "When's Emily due?"

Sam smiled. "Around Christmas, actually," He said happily.

"That would be an awesome birthday to have," Jacob laughed, "Double presents,"

"I didn't think about that," I smirked, "What are the sexes?"

"Three boys," he said in an even happier tone.

"Any ideas on names?" None of this was really my business at all, but I was extremely curious.

"We know for sure that one will be Killion Derek, and another one will be Damian Arthur, but we haven't been able to think of a third name. Today, though, a name just hit me out of nowhere. I think I read about it in some book, and I just really like it. It's pronounced Faolan, and I thought Eric would be a nice middle name for it,"

They were all really good names, and unique in a wonderful way. But one name fascinated me in particular.

"Hmm… Faolan. I'm going to go look that up," I said suddenly, getting up from my seat and walking over to the computer that Charlie had installed for the both of us to use if my old piece of junk broke again, which it had.

It had the basic information. Name, origin, country… yadda, yadda, yadda… It went on and on and on. But then I came upon something that both shocked and amused me.

"Oh my God…" I breathed.

"What?" Sam asked curiously.

I turned to him. "Do you know what Faolan originally means?"

"No," he said, his brows furrowing with confusion.

I chuckled, flabbergasted. "It means, Little Wolf"


	6. Love

A/N:

Chapter six is finally here! Guys, I can't tell you how sorry I am for not posting for so long. I was mortified when I saw my hit list go from 246 visitors to 26 in just one day after I hadn't posted the chapter! I didn't think it would cause that much of an impact but, then again, I didn't expect other things either. Anyway, to make up for me being so irresponsible, I made this one really good. :P Enjoy! XOXO

-Chapter 6-

I had to say, things were pretty good through the course of the past few weeks. Not only did I have the best boyfriend in the entire world, but I also had some of the best friends in the world, too. And it was just a small perk that all of them happened to be able to burst into awesome-looking giant wolves at will. I thought about that as I looked out the window.

At first I thought my imagination was just running wild again, but I could've sworn that out of the corner of my eye, I saw a russet-colored wolf slip through the woods. I smiled, and pretended not to notice.

I was proven right, when about twelve seconds later, I felt two arms wrap around my waist. I still ignored him.

He caught on to what I was doing, and kissed my hair, my ear, and my cheek, then down to my neck… I shivered, and my perfectly calm façade slipped. I turned around to face him.

"Hi," I beamed at him.

"Hi," He whispered, still holding me around my waist so I had no escape.

"How were the patrols?"

"Frustrating," His brows furrowed.

I sighed and gave him a sympathetic smile.

"Did I ever tell you how beautiful you were?" He said while brushing my cheek with the back of his hand. I didn't, nor would I ever, deserve his admiration. But I had to admit, it made me feel good.

I snorted anyway, trying to stay modest.

"It's true," he said convincingly.

"Yeah. Sure,"

"You're so unaware of it, but maybe that's what makes you even more beautiful in the first place," He turned his head to the side, his eyes still full of wonder.

_Gosh, somebody up there must really like me,_ I thought as I looked back at his black eyes.

"I fail to believe that. You're so much better than I am in every way," I laughed.

He thought about that for a moment. "Then maybe that's why. It's because you could somehow overlook the fact that I turn into a hairy elephant with paws,"

"First of all, you're _my_ hairy elephant with paws. And second of all, there isn't a reason in the world for anyone not to like you. Haven't I explained that to you enough?" I sighed.

"Nope. Do it some more, please," He told me, then pressed my lips to his roughly before I could answer.

"I can't tell you if you're lip-wrestling with me," I laughed.

"And, frankly, I couldn't care less," he whispered, kissing me again, softer this time.

Honestly, I was pretty much putty in his capable hands. He seemed to love this fact, and didn't let me move a centimeter.

As funny as it was, the thing I loved most about Jacob was not the fact that he was strong and brave and handsome and kind and intelligent… It was the fact that you could kiss him for hours and he would never make an overly-sexual move on you unless you did first. He was the perfect mix of innocence and manliness.

Using this fact to my advantage, I decided to just let this go on. Besides, it was a well known rule that all guys needed to be teased every once in a while.

Just as I knew he would, he never went too far, but I could tell I was torturing him. I smiled, but kept my laugh at bay.

"God, Bella, I love you so much," He said desperately, pressing his lips to mine again.

"I love you, too," I whispered quietly, with just the tiniest hint of seductiveness. I didn't want to torture the poor guy too much.

He sighed, realizing he wasn't going to get what he was hoping for today, and moved away from me a little.

"You're such a tease," he accused.

"Yeah, maybe," I said innocently.

He rolled his eyes and towed me to the couch. I sat on his lap and he pulled me closer, putting my head under his chin.

"I don't think you'll ever know how much you mean to me," he said sincerely.

"Actually, we're at a pretty even tie there,"

"I hope so,"

"I _know_ so,"

"You're so stubborn," He laid his cheek on my head.

"Yep,"

"So what do you want to do?"

"I don't know. I'm not in the mood for a movie, and I don't feel like riding the bikes today,"

"You know what I think we should do?" He said suddenly.

"Yes, I do, and it's not going to happen," I laughed. The only reason it wasn't was because I had run out of birth control pills. I didn't want to go through the same thing as before.

He pouted at me. I decided to change the subject.

"So, Jacob, there's something I wanted to ask you about," I began.

"What's that?" He asked very curiously.

"Well, my… _mom_ gave me some plane tickets to Jacksonville recently," I decided not to tell him where I had actually gotten those tickets.

"And?"

"Well, there's two of them, and, well, I'll be all _alone_ on that _long_ plane ride…"

"You want me to come with you?" He seemed surprised.

"Well, I know a vacation to Florida is probably the last thing on your list of priorities right now, but I didn't have anyone to go with me, and I just thought," I started babbling, because I knew that he wouldn't be able to come. I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up. He had a job to do. I shouldn't have even suggested it, because now we would both feel guilty. I blushed and hung my head.

"Are you kidding? I would love to go!" He sounded excited.

"Really?"

He laughed. "Do you honestly think I would say no to a vacation to Jacksonville, Florida? I don't know how long it's been since I've gone to a beach that's actually _warm_,"

"Me either," I sighed happily.

To be honest, I felt really guilty. I knew they wanted me to use the tickets. But it seemed kind of mean to bring my boyfriend –and their natural enemy- with me. But they didn't have to know, and neither did he.

"You know, I'm going to kick your ass at surfing," He said matter-of-factly.

"Ha! Well- Well, yeah you probably are," I laughed. I had never been good at anything that had to do with balance.

He laughed. "Have you ever even surfed before?"

"I did once, in the shallow water. I got a concussion and had to spend three days in the hospital," I admitted.

He looked at me with wide eyes. "Maybe you shouldn't surf, then,"

"You're probably right. I think I'm just going to get a much-needed tan," I looked at my pale arms.

"Good idea," He laughed.

I was sure he didn't mind the fact that I would probably be wearing a bikini. I rolled my eyes at the thought.

"When did _you_ learn to surf, anyway?" I asked. I didn't remember him ever mentioning surfing. But then again, I had probably missed a lot over the years that me and Charlie went to California instead of here.

"You're looking at the all-time state champion for three years in a row," He pointed to his chest.

"Wow. That's pretty impressive," I said, surprised.

"Not as impressive as managing to get a concussion and three days in a hospital while doing it in shallow water,"

"I try," I smiled.

He shook his head. "Bella," he sighed, and rested his chin on my head once more. I squirmed closer to him.

"Is there anything you're not good at?" I asked.

He thought about it for a moment. "Bowling," He finally said.

"Really?"

"Yeah. I've never been good at bowling. I don't know what it is," He laughed.

"Well, that's something, I guess,"

"Don't worry. You're better than me at cooking by a long shot,"

"That's true. I guess that does make me feel better," I smirked.

"Hey, I've got an idea!" He said excitedly.

"What?"

"Let's go visit Sam and Emily!"

"It's just because he's got new porn videos for you guys to watch,"

He stared at me with bulging eyes.

"Emily told me. It's okay, just make sure it's turned down low so me and her can't hear it," I explained.

He blushed anyway. "I- I don't know what you're talking about," He stammered.

"Sure you don't. Come on, let's go. I want to visit Emily again, anyway," I said while getting up from his lap.

He followed me out the door and I climbed into the driver's seat before he could.

"Hey, don't you think I would know how to get to Sam's house better than you would?" He said, as I knew he would.

"Yeah, but this is _my_ car, so I get to drive," I said, sticking my tongue out at him.

He climbed into the passenger seat, scowling.

When we got to their house, they seemed happy to see us. Sam didn't look surprised that Jacob came. Stupid perverted men. I rolled my eyes, then caught sight of Emily for the first time.

Though it was August, which meant she was only five months along, she was still huge. Her stomach was about the same size as one baby at nine months. I could tell she had trouble moving. She would be put on bed rest on her sixth month, it was obvious. Ugh. Three months on bed rest! I shuddered.

Although the enormous bulge in her stomach holding three children inside had to be a little bit of a burden, the picture was still nice. There was an aura of happiness around her and Sam. They were a family. It made me happy to know that one day, that would be me and Jacob, except I would -hopefully- have a bit less weight all at one time.

To my surprise, it seemed that Jacob was feeling the same thing. He smiled just the tiniest bit, and took my hand.

And that was when I saw it.

A blur of visions flashed through my head one by one. Me, big and pregnant with Jacob's baby. Then I was holding it in my arms, smiling. Then it flashed into a different scene, one where there were several dark-haired children running and playing in the woods.

I had never needed to be a mother until now. Sure, I had considered it, but I knew there was no rush. I had never really had any special bond with them. They seemed to be a bit annoying, really. But now, that was the opposite of what I felt. I truly wished to have children. I needed it more than anything to have his baby. I wasn't going to rush the poor guy into it, but as soon as we were married, I knew what I wanted.

I almost fell over at this realization, but when the shock ceased, I got a warm feeling inside.

_In a few years, that'll be me in the picture,_ I thought to myself.


	7. Disaster

A/N:

Okay, about the previous episode and the porn videos thing: I was not trying to pass off that Sam and Jacob were disloyal and watched it all the time while their women were there. All it was supposed to be was a harmless and amusing tidbit; Filler, if you will. Please don't lose your respect for them. It's a fact all of us girls must accept that guys do that kind of thing, however odd it may seem to us. To guys, it's odd that we read romances like this one. We all have our needs, so let's not hate on the guys, okay? ^_^

Thank you so much for the Christmas wishes. I hope you guys got everything you wanted for Christmas and more. I know I did. :D So, for your Christmas present from me for being so wonderful and full of compliments, I will grant a wish that you have for this story. (I.E.- something you want to happen)  
Merry Christmas! XOXO

-Chapter 7-

I left Emily and Sam's house after dark, and I was in a kind of trance. When Jacob talked on our way back home, I just gave brief, one-word answers to his questions. He seemed dissatisfied with this.

"What's going on, Bella?" He demanded.

"Huh?- Oh, nothing," I said while shaking my head to clear my thoughts.

"That's what you always say,"

"I know,"

"You always say that, _too!_"

"I know,"

I fought back a smile, and he sighed.

When we got to my house, he stayed with me as he always did. I asked him once why his father didn't get onto him for never being home at night anymore. He simply explained that Billy didn't really care much what he did with his time and never questioned him about it, because his dad knew that patrol hours were crazy.

I thought that it would be nice for my dad to be as laid back as his, but unfortunately he wasn't, so I cursed when I noticed that he was already home, watching a baseball game again.

"Okay, just go ahead up to my room, and I'll be there in a minute," I whispered.

He laughed quietly and gave me a quick kiss just before he soundlessly sprinted up the stairs. His gracefulness still shocked me, and I got Goosebumps on my arms.

"Hey, Dad," I said toward the general direction of Charlie.

"Hey, Bells," He said just as passively - if not more so- as I had.

"I'm going to turn in early. Night,"

"Night," He mumbled, watching even more intently as one of the teams scored a homerun.

I ran up the stairs as carefully as I could, but still tripped anyway.

Jacob was lounging leisurely across my bed with his hands behind his neck, though his feet extended far off the edge.

When I came in through the doorway, he sat up and opened his arms for me. I jumped into them, and he held me there.

"I could get used to this," I smiled.

"To what?" He whispered.

"You never letting me go," I whispered back.

"Never," He amended, pulling me closer still.

I sighed with contentment, and kissed him. He responded quickly, and put his hands on either side of my face.

Right when things were starting to get pretty steamy, I remembered something.

"Hey, do you mind if I go shopping with some of my friends in Port Angeles tomorrow? They've been bugging me about it all week, but I thought I should ask you," I said suddenly.

"Sure, Bella. I don't mind, because unlike that bloodsucker, you don't need to ask my permission to have a free will. I'm not that controlling, trust me," He laughed.

I laughed, too. "No, you aren't…. God, it's just so _creepy _to think about now! When I look back at the way he acted, and his controlling, protective attitude…." I trailed off, shuddering.

That seemed to make him very, very happy for a moment.

"Well, I'm pretty sure he's never coming back," he said, suddenly getting quiet, and his happy mood disappeared completely. He looked down and started playing with my fingers, "but if he did, you would never… go back to him, would you?"

"Jacob!" I exclaimed, completely shocked at his uncertainty.

"I know it's silly, but I just want to be sure," He continued, still quiet.

"Jacob, not only would I not go back to him, but I would avoid him and his entire family completely. In fact, if they ever do come back for any reason, I am specifically asking you to do whatever you can to keep him at least one mile out of range from me at all times," I said fiercely.

He beamed, and pressed his lips to mine once more. I pulled away after a minute and looked into his eyes. In them was everything I could've possibly wanted and more. He didn't seem to notice what I was doing, and an exasperated expression came over his face.

"Bella, _please?_" He begged.

I sighed.

"Please, please, _please_?" He begged again.

"Oh, fine!" I surrendered. He was too irresistible. It wasn't fair, but I gave into him anyway.

He kissed me back and set me down on the bed.

********

When I woke up, Charlie had already gone, so I made Jacob breakfast and he left to do patrols. Now I was all alone and I had nothing to do but face my inevitable shopping trip.

When I finally called Angela to confirm that I was going, she told me to meet her and Ben at Port Angeles in an hour. I grabbed the purse I rarely used and made my way solemnly to my truck.

"It's about time you got out," said Angela when I found them at the dock.

"I'll say," Ben agreed.

I laughed. "All right, all right, enough making fun of me. Where are we going to go?"

"The mall first, and then we'll go get something to eat," said Angela.

"Sounds good. Let's go," I said hurriedly, ready to get the first part over with.

We shopped for what seemed like hours and hours. I didn't think Angela, being the kind and modest person she was, would ever be the kind of girl that liked being at the mall this much. At least it was better than going with Jessica. I shuddered at the thought of going through that again.

When my wristwatch told me it was nearing eight o'clock, I decided to make my escape until dinner. I had a good excuse, anyway.

"Hey, guys? There's this pool supply store about a block down the road, and I really need a new swimsuit, so do you mind if I go there and meet you for dinner in about half an hour?" I asked in an almost pleading voice.

"Sure, Bella. See you in a bit," Angela smiled as she and Ben waved.

I waved back, and then practically ran out the door.

The air was brisk and windy. When I breathed, it burned my throat and made my lungs feel frozen. Despite my discomfort, I still continued my fast pace.

It was funny that I still wasn't over the fear of my fateful trip to Port Angeles over a year ago. The memory was still so vivid. I was irritated at myself for wanting to bring my pepper spray, but I did anyway. You could never be too careful, after all.

I looked around at my surroundings warily, and then shook my head when I realized how stupid I was being. That guy was in jail. He was never coming back.

When I came into the swimsuit store, I was gasping for breath. A saleswoman looked in my direction curiously for a moment, but didn't say anything, so I paused to take in the entire room. There were all kinds of bathing suits all over the place, and hanging all over the walls.

I figured I should get a bikini, because all I would be doing in Florida was tanning. Plus, I would be giving Jacob a little early birthday present. I chose some randomly that were pretty cute at first glance, and walked to the dressing room.

None of them looked as bad as I had thought, except for one. Baby pink was _not_ my color. I hung it up on my reject side.

The next was a green piece that covered a lot more skin than the others. It looked pretty good, but I didn't want to seem too modest. I would be on the beach in Jacksonville, Florida, for goodness sake! I might as well go all out. I added the green to the rejects.

The third was a red bikini that showed far too much skin, plus the rhinestones on it accentuated areas that should _not_ be accentuated. I ripped it off quickly and tossed it.

The final one was a deep blue that was simple but pretty. It was not too modest, but not ridiculous either. It complimented my petite frame perfectly and, for once, actually made me look almost pretty. I smiled and looked at it from every angle. This was definitely the one.

I put my clothes back on and took my choice to the register. The cost was a little more than what I would've liked it to be, but I supposed it was worth it. This was one of the only pieces of clothing I'd ever gotten that actually made a lot of difference in the way I looked, as far as I could see.

"It's getting pretty chilly out there," the register lady commented.

"Yeah, it is. Only here could it be cold and rainy in August," I laughed, shaking my head.

"Tell me about it," she said knowingly, rolling her eyes.

"Thanks," I said, walking out the door, and jumping when I heard the bell ring as it opened. I could hear the woman behind me suppressing laughter as much as she could.

I quickened my pace on the way back even more than I had on the way there. I was thankful when I finally made it back to my car. But when I opened the passenger side door to put my bag in, the receipt fell out and the wind blew it out on the road. I thought I had better go get it just in case I needed it later.

Right when I was standing up with the receipt in my hand, a pair of headlights came squealing around the corner, blinding me.

It all happened very quickly then. It was almost too fast to fathom until it had already ended.

The car's breaks squealed, but that wasn't near enough for it to stop before it was too late. The front of the car smashed into my side, and that was when the pain began.

There were broken bones, that much was certain. And there was blood. Lots of blood. It felt like the pain was too much, like it was going to swallow me whole. It didn't feel like any part of my body could work anymore. I was completely disconnected from my brain.

I had never felt this way before. Sure, I had broken a few bones before. I had fallen out of a tree once. Nothing compared to this. Nothing would ever compare to this.

I began to slip out of reality. Everything was black, and I felt like I shouldn't fight anymore. It seemed like I should just let go and let the pain end for good. I couldn't remember why it was wrong to do that. I just knew that there was something holding me here, so I had better keep fighting.

Fighting proved to be difficult. Against my instinct, I ran towards the pain, because I knew that pain meant life. This was so much harder than death. Death was peaceful.

I pushed harder and harder against the inevitable. I wanted to give up so badly. If only I knew why I _had_ to hold on, maybe I would be stronger, but the agony was too much. It was the only thing that was real. It overpowered all rational thought, but pain was life, and life was pain.

And life did not have to end _now_.


	8. Relief

A/N:

So, I guess you guys didn't expect _that_ ending to chapter seven, did you? I decided to use the cliffhanger strategy. :D Anyway, I would like to give my daily thank to all the reviews. Thank you!

To answer a couple of your specific questions and comments:  
, Bella didn't lose the baby, because she wasn't pregnant. Whether that will change in the near future, I have not decided.  
2. I am not surprised you thought this to be a filler chapter. At first I was going to make it a filler chapter, but then decided that would be boring, and this story needed a bit of "tragedy" to make it interesting.

I'm truly sorry about the wait. I really didn't mean to torture you, but you know what this season is like. Speaking of which, Happy New Year everyone! Hope 2009 was good for you, and 2010 will be even better. : ) XOXO

-Chapter 8-

The odd thing was that the blackness was still there at first. I had won the fight for now, but nothing cleared. The pain was numbed, but I was left in the same immobile state that I was in before.

Then something changed.

It was all a blur at first, but I began to make out sounds. The first was the incredibly annoying, mechanical beep that repeated over and over and never seemed to quit. Then I heard things like the loud ticking of a clock and distant whispers. It was all very confusing.

I put my slowly strengthening mind to more easing subjects. For example, I was beginning to get my sense of touch back. I felt a thin sheet-like material under my hands, and something soft but firm under it. Try as I might, I couldn't get my muscles to move and investigate further.

Then something hot wrapped around my hand, followed by incredible warmth that seemed to radiate by the whole right side of my body. It was so pleasant and comforting, and I wasn't sure why, but I hoped it would stay.

_Maybe I'm in heaven_, I thought, but decided against the idea. Heaven wouldn't have so much discomfort. I began to think further, but was interrupted by a voice.

"_Please_, Bella. _Please_ be okay. I need you," the voice said. It sounded strained, like the person was going through immense pain.

That kicked my mind into gear. It all came back to me then.

I remembered walking to go pick something up, and then getting hit by a car. I remembered the bathing suit, and going shopping with Angela, and _Jacob…_ Jacob!

That was why I was able to hold on so long. That was why I felt so comfortable. Jacob was the warmth. Jacob's hand was in mine. He needed me just as much as I needed him. I was able to live because he existed. And right now, he was probably worried sick. There had to be some way to put him at some form of ease.

"Ja… _Uhn_… Jac… ob?" I slurred in a broken whisper that only a werewolf like him would be able to detect in the slightest. I felt him freeze where he was, and I realized that I hadn't opened my eyes yet. I managed a small, dreary squint.

"Bella? Bella!" he gasped, leaning closer to me and squeezing my hand a little, so as not to break another bone after so many were probably shattered already.

I gave him the best smile I could manage, which was really just an upwards extension at the corner of my mouth that was about two millimeters. He caught it, just as I knew he would.

He buried his face in my arm for a moment, taking in a huge breath. Then he let it out an enormous sigh that was part relief, part crazed joy.

"You have no idea how worried I was," he breathed. I suddenly felt his lips on mine.

I kissed him back with all the strength I could force, which really wasn't much at all, but it wasn't like he cared or anything. He pulled away when my heart beat started getting higher than normal, at least according to the annoying machine beside me. I wished it would shut up.

"_Never_ do that to me ever again," he commanded, still holding my hair behind my head, almost as if he needed it for support.

"I'll try," I said in the cracked tone that would be voice for the time being.

"I hope so. I was going insane, Bella. The entire pack had to drag me out of here by my elbows just to get me to eat something at the cafeteria," he shook his head.

"Wait, how long have I been out?" I asked, changing the subject.

"A good five days, at least. Probably more like a week,"

"Wow. That car hit me hard," I said as my eyes widened.

"I'll say. You broke five ribs, your left leg, you have a concussion, a collapsed lung, and some internal bleeding that they fixed before. But still, it beat you up pretty bad, not to mention the whiplash you probably have," He looked at me in awe, probably because of my talent for causing myself injury.

"It always happens to me," I chuckled weakly.

"Yeah, it really does," He chuckled, too.

"Ugh. Needles," I groaned, looking at the ones that were stuck into my hands and arms.

He rolled his eyes. "I think those are the least of your worries right now,"

"I beg to differ," I said stubbornly.

He laughed, now in a crouching position beside my bed. He rested his chin on his arms.

"How do you feel?" he said, tilting his head to the side and taking my hand again.

"Stiff. I can't move very much, but I guess that's a good thing. I don't have any pain, at least."

"That's good. They put a lot of sedatives in you, so I'm not surprised,"

"Mmm," I agreed. I closed my eyes. His voice and his warmth were just so comforting. I could fall asleep right now, but I didn't want to.

"I'm going to go tell everyone else you're awake," He said while standing up.

I sighed. It had to be done.

I was surprised to see that _everyone_ was at the hospital. They came in by twos and threes. Sam came, but obviously couldn't bring Emily, because she was bedridden now, and probably in more pain than I was. Charlie and Renee and Phil came. They were all frantic. They were so worked up that the nurse had to intervene and tell them I needed to rest. I could already tell that I was going to like her.

Most of the pack came, which was sweet. And then finally my friends from school showed up. Angela and Ben apologized profusely and said that they should've gone with me. Even Jessica and Mike came. That was odd, because I was under the impression that Jessica hated me. I guessed that had changed since the Cullens left.

By the time everyone had visited, I was exhausted. Jacob never left my room once, ignoring my many requests that he go home and get some sleep in his _actual_ bedroom, but in a way I was glad. It was nice to have someone there with me. I felt bad for all the lonely people in other rooms who had almost no visitors. I thought about this as I slowly drifted off to sleep.

********

I healed very well over the next few weeks. Physical therapy was a pain, but I got through it. I could get up and walk without too much difficulty, and I didn't need the nurse to help me shower and use the bathroom. That was easily the most embarrassing thing I had ever gone through.

And after all this crap I had been through, I was going home the following afternoon.

That morning, I ate breakfast quickly. I tried watching TV to pass the time until 3:00, but none of it interested me. Jacob was gone, the first time he had ever been out of my sight for more than 10 minutes since I woke up, because it was his first day of school. So now I had nothing to do. I guessed that taking a nap would be the only thing left. Surprisingly, I conked out quick.

When I woke up, I looked at the clock. Apparently, I had slept a good four hours, and it was 2:50. Sweet! It was already almost time to go! I smiled at how easily I had passed the time. But as I smiled, I noticed a piece of paper beside me on the bed. I picked it up curiously.

_Dear Bella, _

_I'm sorry if I bothered you. When I saw you getting hit, I just had to come check on you. Everything always happens to you. I don't think I've met anyone more danger-prone, but I am glad you are doing well. But, most of all, I'm glad you've moved on with Jacob now. Although it's fuzzy, I can see a good life between you and him. It's the real thing, and I am so glad you made the right decision. He can give you everything that Edward couldn't. _

_In case you were wondering, I did not tell anyone else about me coming here, and I managed to hide it from Edward. We promised not to bother you, but if you want, we could talk every once in a while. Edward can bite me. =) _

_I love you and miss you every day,_

_Alice_

I smiled. Out of all of the Cullens, Alice was who I missed most. It was nice that she still cared for me, and that maybe we could talk every once in a while. I would just burn this letter later, so Jacob couldn't see. I put it in my pocket for safe keeping until then.

Suddenly, Jacob walked in the room.

"Ready to go, Bells?" he said, smiling.

"I was ready the second I woke up," I laughed, getting up from the bed.

I hated that I had to go in the wheelchair. I would be able to make it out of the place just fine if I had Jacob to help. This was completely unnecessary. I scowled and crossed my arms as he wheeled me out of the doors.

Once I got home, I relaxed on the couch.

"Much better," I sighed as Jacob sat beside me and wrapped his arms around my waist.

"So, what do you want for your birthday?" he said casually.

"What?" I said, jumping.

"Bella, tomorrow is your birthday," He looked at me as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Oh, I didn't even think about it," I mumbled. He laughed.

"You _never_ think," He shook his head.

"No, not really," I admitted.

"Hey, how about we go cliff diving!" He said with mock excitement.

"Yeah! That's a _great_ idea!" I laughed, rolling my eyes at the thought.

"Wait a minute, when was the last time we checked on Emily?" he said suddenly.

"I don't know. A month, at least," I said, turning my head to him and smiling. I really missed Emily, and she probably needed to talk to me just as much as I needed to talk to her.

"You know, I forgot to tell you this, but they just found out that one of them is actually a girl. They're going to name it after you,"


	9. Oh, Crap

A/N:  
Again, SO sorry about the wait. School just came back, so that's never good. :/ But I have also taken a break and read some fanfiction for myself, and I have some pretty good inspirations now. Although I must say, there was far too much death, or imprinting, or something else, ultimately splitting happy couples apart.

Remember, I am just as much a fan of reading fanfiction as you are, so I know how it feels when authors mess with you like that and then end the story on that crappy note. You feel heartbroken, frustrated, and dissatisfied. I am so thankful for all of you guys, and I want you to know that I would NEVER do that to you. So don't worry. : )

For those of you who don't know what _The Simpsons _is: .org/wiki/The_Simpsons (When they eat, The Simpson family shovels food into their mouths vigorously, hence, the joke.)

If you are interested, it is my personal favorite TV series, and I highly recommend it.

Enjoy! XOXO

-Chapter 9-

I thanked Sam and Emily profusely for their thought of giving their baby my name, and scolded Jacob for spilling the beans beforehand. But would they choose me, in the first place? Was I really that important close them? I had no idea.

Luckily, my scars had disappeared quickly enough for me to go to Florida without my mom worrying herself to death. (Because neither I, nor Charlie had a death wish at the moment, we decided it would be best not to let Renee know about my little "accident" of sorts.)

At least my nineteenth birthday had gone smoothly enough. Nobody had budged me too hard on it, but Emily still made me a cake. It was easily the most delicious thing I had ever eaten, so I didn't complain, or rather, _couldn't_ complain. Especially since it was one of those chocolate lava cakes that was warm and rich and when you put your spoon into it the melted fudge oozed out, and it was so smooth, almost melting in your mouth, and…

I stopped the thought cold when I found myself drooling.

Lately, my food preferences seemed out of whack. One time I had even tried carrots dipped in barbecue sauce, just to see what it would taste like, and stranger still, it had actually tasted _good_. I had promptly thrown up after my little experiment. I shook my head, laughing. I was so weird.

"What's so funny?" Paul asked, followed by everyone else. _Right on time, _I thought. They were nothing if not punctual.

"Nothing," I walked over to the counter, still chuckling. I took the food I had previously made and set it on the table.

"Dig in," I commanded.

The way they shoveled food in their mouths was hilarious. At one point, I had realized they looked uncannily like _The Simpsons _when they ate.

At first I was just lost in amazement at how they could possibly swallow so much without choking. But then I realized someone was missing. Where was he?

"Where's Ja-?" I began to ask, but was then caught from behind in his embrace. His breath saturated my hair.

"They're going to eat your share if you don't hurry," I warned.

"Like I care," he laughed.

I had to admit, he was head over heels. I also had to admit that I loved it… just a little bit. It was nice to know that he would never leave, at least, not as long as he had some type of mystical wolf-y connection with me. That, of course, would never end as long as we both lived. We were mates for life, if you wanted to use the general term for it.

At this, I leaned closer to him, just watching everyone else. They hadn't paid any attention whatsoever to our conversation.

"Do they even swallow?" I whispered to Jacob, knowing good and well that they could hear.

"No," he said simply.

"Hey!" said Embry, his mouth full of food.

"Well…" Jacob said, shrugging his shoulders. "It's true,"

They finished in record time, practically cleaning my dishes for me.

"Hey, we're going to go see a movie. Want to come, Jake?" Sam asked.

He gave him a look as if they had been through this a hundred times.

"I can't go. I'm going to Kim's," Jared said quickly, walking out the door.

They all thanked me and followed him out. Jacob snorted.

"What?" I asked, looking at him.

"You'd think Jared would have tons of wolf pups by now, the way he and Kim act like bunnies,"

I laughed. "Well, let's go make bunnies of ourselves, so we won't be left out,"

"Your wish is my command," he said, towing me up the stairs.

********

That morning, I woke up alone in my room. I felt around, and my hand came upon a piece of paper.

_Dear Bella,_

_I didn't want to leave, but the impatient mutts literally forced me to go. I didn't want to wake you up. I thought you'd be kinda tired._

_Love,  
Jake_

I giggled, and stood up. As soon as I did, an uncomfortable feeling twisted in my stomach. I ran to the bathroom, and barely made it in time.

As soon as I had finished puking my guts out, I felt a little better. It was enough for me to be able to get downstairs and rest on the couch. I couldn't bring myself to fall asleep, but at least lying on my stomach seemed to help a little, until the feeling came back about ten minutes later.

When I finished blowing chunks for the second time, I just sat and thought about why the hell my stomach would be acting so weird, and in the morning of all times? And why would I have such odd taste for food lately? And why on Earth would I be peeing so much, and…

_Oh. My. God._

There was no way! There was no freaking way! I had been on birth control this whole time!

I jumped off the couch, and practically ran to the bathroom where my pills were, (which I had cleverly hidden from Charlie in my bag that contained tampons and other items that he wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole.) I read every single bit of fine print on that bottle, until I finally came to one sentence at the bottom, in even smaller lettering than the rest.

_Only effective 97% of cases._

I froze, and the bottle slipped from my hands.

In all honesty, I really should have seen this coming. I mean, we really did act like bunnies, even though I had no idea about the whole "97% of cases" crap. That was a rip-off. But either way, I should have been more careful. I should have thought about it. Hell, I probably should've waited until marriage. But why? I already knew that Jacob and I were a done deal. There was no turning back for us. Why wait? Oh, now I knew why. I had plenty of reasons to wait now.

Then again, why was I so horrified by this? Sure, we were a little young, but hadn't it been pre-decided that me and Jacob were set? It wasn't really a _disaster_. Lord knew that Jacob and I didn't exactly have huge plans for our future. For most people, this would be considered taking away all other options. Our options had already been taken away several months ago when he imprinted. There wouldn't be much change except for the fact that we would have a little kid by our side. I wouldn't really mind that so much.

I sighed and put the pills back in my bag, knowing that I wouldn't need them for a while.

But wait, wait, wait! Wasn't I getting ahead of myself a little? There was a chance, although slim, that this crap I was going through was just a weird stomach thing, and I may not be pregnant at all. I was surprised when I realized I was disappointed at the thought.

I knew I had to hurry. Jacob would be back any minute. I left a note for him and ran out the door, praying that he wouldn't come before I could make my escape.

When I walked through the particular isle, "the black isle" as I sometimes liked to call it, I would look behind me every three seconds, just to make sure I wouldn't get caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. I slowly extended my hand towards the first home pregnancy test I saw, pausing to look one more time.

There was someone behind me, and that someone was Emily. My eyes popped open in horror the same time hers did. I was so frozen in place that my hand didn't even move. It stayed right where it was, reaching towards the pregnancy tests.

"No way," she whispered, "Are you really… _pregnant_?" She said the last word as quietly as possible, almost mouthing it.

"Probably," I sighed, looking down.

"Wow," She smiled at me.

"Yeah. I mean, it could be worse, right? It's not like me and Jacob had options anymore," I laughed quietly.

"It could definitely be worse! It's great!"

"I still don't know if I really am or not," I mumbled quickly.

"Well, what are you waiting for? I'll stay with you. Remember, you're not alone," she laughed, motioning towards her enormous stomach.

"How far along are you, anyway?" I asked.

"Thirty weeks," she sighed, "It's becoming a real pain in the ass… literally,"

"I bet," I chuckled.

The part that I dreaded the most was who would be at the cash register when I had to buy the seemingly innocent little box. Luckily, it was someone I didn't know. She had an expression of utter carelessness on her face, which was a very good thing right now.

I didn't want to wait and take it at home, knowing that Jacob would be there, and also that Charlie would find it in the garbage later. Both of those would be very bad things. I had to tell Jacob in person. So, I knew the only option was to take the test in the store's restroom.

I paced back and forth. My heart rate was getting faster and I was breathing hard.

"Calm down, Bella. It'll be fine, no matter what happens," she said soothingly.

"I hope," I sighed.

"It will. You'll be great parents," She squeezed my hand.

"I think it's probably ready by now," I could barely speak. My speech was slurred.

"Okay. Breathe, Bella. Breathe,"

I nodded, and looked at the results. They were clear and undeniable.

_Plus._


	10. Meant to Be

A/N:

Wow! Two chapters in one day! I know this one is a little on the short side, but I think its sweetness makes up for its shortness. I hope you have fun reading this chapter as much as I had fun writing it!  
Enjoy! XOXO

-Chapter 10-

_Plus._

It was an odd feeling that came onto me then. It was like half of my heart was excited, and half of my heart dropped to my feet. But I had already prepared myself for this, so it wasn't quite as bad as I thought it would be. The only hard part would be telling Jacob. I had no idea how he would react. I took a breath and walked out of the stall.

"I'm pregnant," I said clearly, looking her in the eyes for once.

"Oh, yay!" she yelled, giving me a hug with just her arms, trying not to knock the breath out of me with her belly. I appreciated that.

"I guess," I mumbled.

"Bella, Jacob will be happy, and you should be happy, too," she half-scolded.

A smile slowly crept over my face, and I hugged her back. "You're right,"

"Of course I am- which, by the way, is one of the pluses of being pregnant-," she whispered in my ear then, "_They never disagree with you_,"

I tossed the test into the trashcan, giggling. We both were, and it continued as we walked out the door.

"Now remember, Bella. Don't delay what you're going to say. It worries them. Just come right out with it. Doing that makes it easier for the both of you," She advised.

"Okay. Thank you so much, Emily. And even though you're about five months farther than me, we can comfort each other about our problems, okay?" It was more a beg than a statement.

"Absolutely. I need another mother to talk to," she laughed.

"You and me both," I laughed, too, and walked over to my car. My smile instantly disappeared as soon as I climbed in the cab.

As I drove home, I thought about what I was going to say. It reminded me of the time several months ago when I first got over Edward. I just couldn't really bring myself to laugh about it when I was in this kind of mood.

Of course, Jacob was there when I got home. He smiled and a look of relief spread over his face when he saw me. He wrapped me in one of his bear hugs and kissed me. I completely melted, and almost forgot my first mission.

I made myself pull away and look him straight in the eyes. "I need to talk to you," I said seriously.

He seemed concerned. Maybe… scared? That was unlike him. "Okay, sure. Sit down," His brows were furrowed.

I decided to take Emily's advice and just come right out with it.

"I'm pregnant," I said simply.

His eyes popped open and he didn't move a muscle. I waited patiently for a while, and he still didn't move.

I waved my hand in front of his face. Still nothing. Getting worried, I whispered, "Jake?"

A small noise came from the back of his throat that sounded like he was _trying_ to respond, but couldn't. I let him be, once I knew he was alive.

I had counted to one hundred in my head before he could finally make out words.

"Are you sure?" he whispered.

"I took a test. They pretty much never lie,"

I did not expect his reaction.

A smile crept over his face, and he jumped up, grabbed me around the waist and spun me in a circle.

"You're happy?" I asked, bewildered.

"Of course I am!" he yelled, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, I guess it wasn't like we had choices for our future or anything," I laughed.

"Exactly. Which is why this is so great," He hugged me even tighter then.

"I'm glad you feel that way, because my dad won't," I groaned as that thought occurred to me for the first time.

"Neither will mine, but hey, they'll understand in the long run," he assured me, "How long have you known, anyway?"

"I just found out this afternoon,"

"Then how far along are you?"

"I don't know. I'll have to make a doctor's appointment to know everything for sure. And I hope there's only one kid for now. I really wouldn't want to be in Emily's situation," I shuddered at the thought.

Jacob laughed, then stopped and said, "Yeah, you're right,"

It was my turn to laugh.

While I was on the phone, arranging a doctor's appointment during a convenient time when Charlie would definitely not be home, Jacob was practically bouncing with excitement. It was so funny. I had no idea he wanted to be a dad so badly.

"Calm down," I laughed, "you'll know for sure tomorrow,"

"Fine," he pouted. "When do I get to know the gender?" He was excited again.

"I won't know for sure until my 5-month check up. Remember when they guessed Emily's babies too early and they were wrong about it? There was actually one girl. They can't be sure until twenty weeks," I used my logic on the subject that I had gained before when I picked up a pregnancy magazine at the store.

"_Aw_," he pouted once more.

"I never guessed you would be so excited about this," I shook my head.

"Of course I am," he smiled, "Oh, speaking of which, I've gotta go tell my brothers, too!"

"You're getting way ahead of yourself, you know,"

"Well, it's too late for that now, isn't it?"

I smiled and kissed him. "All right, go," I sighed.

"Okay. I'll be back soon!" he ran out the door, and a few seconds later, I could hear a huge ripping sound even from here. He must've been so excited that he accidentally phased with his clothes on. Nice.

I shook my head and sat down on one of the kitchen chairs. Instinctually, I put my hands on my stomach. Although it was small, I could feel the tiniest little bit of roundness. It was just a little bump, but when I touched it, I was surprised to feel how _hard_ it was. Wow. For that to be there, I had to be at least two months along. _Took me long enough to figure out_, I thought.

I suddenly felt hungry, and took out some pretzels to munch on while Jacob was momentarily gone. I was beginning to realize how boring my life was without him, but at least now I had a little company with me, so I wasn't completely alone. For some reason, that thought was comforting. Then I remembered that Emily was home alone, too. I would just talk to her.

I picked up the phone and dialed her number.

"Hello?" she said.

"Hey. It's Bella," I sighed.

"Hey! How'd it go?" she asked excitedly.

"He's ecstatic. He left to go tell his brothers. I didn't expect it at all, but I'm really glad,"

"You didn't expect it? Please, of course he's excited,"

"Oh, I know he's excited. I could hear his clothes rip from here when he phased,"

She laughed, "I'm not surprised,"

"So how's it going with you?"

"Good, good. The kids are beating the crap out of me,"

"I'm sure mine will be, too. After all, they are little werewolves,"

We both laughed.

"So do you have any idea how far along you are?"

"I don't know. I already have a little bit of a bump that I just noticed a few minutes ago, so at least two months,"

"Wow. You took almost as long as I did to figure it out,"

"Well, it's just the last thing you consider, you know? It's like your brain blocks out the idea,"

"I know exactly what you mean," she said with understanding.

"So, two boys and a girl, huh?" I asked.

"Yep. I guess you won't be able to find out until the fifth month,"

"Nope, but maybe I can cheat and do it on the fourth. But you can't trust anything until then,"

"I hope it's a girl. I only have one, and she wouldn't want to feel left out,"

"Maybe it will be. I'm fine with either, though, as long as it's Jacob's,"

"And I'm fine with mine as long as they're Sam's,"

"I guess that's the most important thing," I smiled to myself.

"Yeah," I could hear a smile in her voice, too.

I began to hear several people coming toward the door.

"Oh, I think I can hear them," I said with a hint of fear in my voice. I felt unsure. Without realizing it, I backed towards the counter away from the door.

"And, there's my cue to go," she laughed.

"Okay, bye, then!"

"Bye," She said, still laughing. The phone disconnected just in time for a huge rampage of wolves to come through the door.

I was attacked with hugs and congratulations. Sure, I didn't really care too much for attention, but this was kind of inevitable. And even though being crowded by such enormous amounts of heat felt like I had fallen into the pit of a volcano, I couldn't help thinking that this was how things were meant to be.


	11. Proven

A/N:

So, here's chapter eleven! I've been having writer's block lately and I couldn't come up with any great ideas, but I hope this is good. I'm sorry if I disappointed a few people, but this was the sex that I had wanted her to have all along. I honestly and truly could not resist.

I haven't been getting as many reviews as I used to lately, and that is kind of discouraging. I'm not going to demand a certain amount of reviews for the next chapter, because I hate it when writers do that, but I would like you to please give me some more feedback. Not only does it inspire me to write more but it helps me fix things that you don't like.

Enjoy and please review! XOXO

-Chapter 11-

The months passed quickly, and everyone was happy. Well, except for a few people. Even_ they_ learned to deal with things and take life as it came, though I'm sure it wasn't easy for them. I remembered the day when we told Charlie especially clearly…

_I was sweating bullets as I waited with Jacob for Charlie to get home. I could tell he was nervous, too, but Charlie probably wasn't quite as threatening to him as he was to me. _

"_Calm down, Bella. You're making me nervous," he mumbled at me, squeezing my hand. _

"_Making_ you _nervous? – Oh, crap! Here he comes!" I cringed into Jacob out of habit._

_When Charlie came in to the door and saw our faces he was instantly suspicious. _

"_So… what's up guys?" he said slowly, accentuating each word, squinting his eyes. _

_I swallowed loudly._

"_Uh… Ch-Charlie? Could we talk to you for a minute?" Jacob began. He swallowed and tried to get a hold of himself. _

"_Sure," Charlie said, not looking surprised enough. _

_When we had been sitting on the couch in silence for a while, I finally decided to break the ice._

"_So, we have something we want to tell you, Dad, and you're probably not going to like it," I bit my lip._

"_Go on," he said, his voice hard. _

"_Well… I… I-I'm…" I felt so stupid not being able to get my words out. Wasn't I nineteen now, for Pete's sake?_

"_You're pregnant!" he exploded._

_I hung my head in defeat. I knew he would jump to the right conclusion easily._

"_Yes, dad. I'm pregnant," I sighed. _

"_So, have you set it up for adoption? Or are you doing… the alternative?" Even he, in his no less than murderous mood, said the last word quietly._

"_Oh, my God! Neither!" I was truly and utterly shocked._

"_We're keeping it, Charlie," Jacob chimed in. I had almost forgotten he was there._

"_Are you sure about that?" he seemed uncertain. It annoyed me to no end. _

"_Yes I'm very _sure_, dad. I've never been so sure about anything else. I'm _nineteen_! And he's getting closer to _eighteen_ every day! Hence, we'll both be legal adults when the baby is born. There's nothing you can do about it!" I was surprised at my newfound fire. But this baby was mine, and I was not going to let it go because of Charlie's stupid parental urges. I gritted my teeth. _

_He stood up. "Fine. I hope you think about your decision, though. You are still young," He stabbed a finger in my direction, but his mood softened. I knew he was my father, and he was only trying to protect me. I realized that he was probably only thinking about what happened when he had a child too young. He only loved me._

"_We are. Now if you'll excuse us, we have some plans to take care of," I stood up and pulled Jacob with me. We really had nothing in particular to do today, but I just wanted to get out of that place right then. I could tell Jacob felt the same._

And Renee, who I'd thought would be even worse than Charlie, had actually been truly excited. Although, it would be hypocritical for her if she had been mad. I had gotten pregnant at the exact same age as her. Like mother, like daughter.

When I went to the doctor's after I had first discovered I was pregnant, I found out that I was, in fact, about 7 weeks along. I had gasped when I saw the baby on the screen. (There was, for sure, only one. Thank God.) Sure, it kind of looked like one of those deformed peanuts you get sometimes, but it was mine, and I loved my little deformed peanut. I laughed at the thought.

Now it was December 4, I was exactly five months pregnant, (I had previously concluded that me and Jacob's little Fourth of July "get together" was the source of this whole mess) and it was almost time to go to the doctor's office for that one particular appointment. The one where I would finally find out the gender of my little mystery baby. And it just so happened that Jacob would be on patrols during that time, and I would have a secret that he didn't know. Though it was childish, I got a secret amusement out of that idea.

Jacob had grudgingly gone to patrols, complaining that it "Wasn't fair," and, "Why can't I go, too?"

"Hey, it's Sam's orders," I said with a smile, practically kicking him out the door. His eyes narrowed.

I was still smiling as I drove to the familiar plain white building that I had gone to every Thursday of every week. It had become routine now.

She put the odd, cold gelatin stuff on my belly and put the scanner to it. Up came the picture that I had seen a million times before, but it always made me feel happy, even on my saddest of days.

She smiled. "Would you like to know the sex?"

"I've wanted to know for weeks," I said excitedly.

"Well, this one is pretty much without a doubt. It's a little boy,"

I beamed. I would have been happy with either, but everyone knew this was what Jacob wished for. And it always made me happy when he was happy, so it was a win-win situation.

"I take it that's what you wanted?" She smiled wider.

"Well, I would've been happy with either, but I think a boy is what my boyfriend wanted the most,"

"They usually do. I'm glad you were so open about the sex, because most people are pretty particular,"

"Trust me, I'm not," I said with a laugh.

On the drive home, I was practically glowing. I decided not to play the hard way with Jacob for the fun of it, like I thought I would. I was just too excited to tell him.

And there he was, pacing in the kitchen. I could see him through the window. When he noticed me, he ran out the door and met me in the driveway, practically ripping me out of my truck.

"Tell me, tell me, tell me!" he said, practically jumping.

"Well… if you _really_ want to know…" I said slowly.

"I r_eally_ do," he begged.

"It's a boy!" I yelled quickly.

"Yes!" he yelled, giving me one of his classic bear hugs that I loved so much. We stayed there for a long time, just savoring the moment, until my stomach growled.

"C'mon. It-_he _is hungry," I corrected myself mid-sentence. Jacob caught it and smiled wider.

"Well, if he takes after me, you're going to be eating a lot," he laughed.

It turns out he was right. I ate even more than normal.

"Definitely like his dad," he said proudly.

"Well, as long as he's not as dumb as you, I'm fine with that," I smiled angelically at him.

He laughed, knowing it was true. Not that I cared about how smart Jacob was. Jacob was absolutely perfect.

"So where are your brothers?"

"They're still on patrols. They let me go early, because Sam understands," he smiled.

"You should have stayed. I would've been here,"

"Yeah, but I was _dying_ to know!"

I sighed. He could be such a little kid sometimes.

"So, any ideas on names?" I asked. I hadn't really thought about it until now.

"I like Mark okay," he said absentmindedly.

"That's good. I kinda like William,"

He made a face. "Too formal. Kevin?"

I shuddered. "No. There was a guy named Kevin in my seventh grade class. He was a _douche bag. _Noah, maybe?"

"No. It doesn't sound right. What about Aaron?"

"Close, but not quite right,"

"Andrew?" he asked. That clicked, and I knew it was the right one. I smiled at him the same time he smiled at me.

"Well, that was easier than I would've expected," I chuckled.

"What about the middle name William, so we both have a name we like?"

"Andrew William Black. Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?" I mused.

"It does. So it's decided, then," he smiled with contentment.

"Yep. Andrew," I sighed, while resting my hand on my now very noticeable bump.

Then I felt something twitch under my fingers. That was odd. I pressed with my entire hand. The twitching was there, a little harder this time. The baby was kicking! And then, without warning, I felt something move. Actually _move_. It was the strangest sensation. It gave me a warm feeling inside.

Before, I had thought that this baby was a burden, but one that I loved. Now, it was no longer a burden, and I didn't just love it. It was a treasure, and I couldn't live without it. Although Jacob was my true other half and he had already filled my heart all the way, this little kid had somehow found some extra space, and he had made it in as well. The fullness of my heart now made me want to burst.

Maybe it was because I had never really fathomed that my son was _there_. Right there. He was mine, and he was inside of me. I guess the fact hadn't hit until it had actually been proven.

Jacob began to notice. "What is it?" he asked, curious.

"He's kicking," I said with a smile.

"Really?" he jumped up.

"Yeah. Feel," I pointed to where it was.

He put both hands on it, and rested his head there.

"He's kicking hard. I can feel it, and hear it," he laughed in awe.

"I guess you can. What does he sound like?"

"He sounds kind of… happy," he smiled at me.

Only then did I realize I was crying.


	12. Battle

A/N:

Chapter twelve! Did you expect this story to be without fairytale monster action? Oh, no. That's not how I roll. :P

And by the way, just in case anyone is wondering, Bella and Jacob's trip to Renee's house was in fact cancelled because of her being plowed to smithereens some seven months ago. Forget how the dates don't match up correctly with her pregnancy. Relax. It's just a story.

Enjoy! XOXO

-Chapter 12-

I was worried, to say the least.

Not about our baby, of course. He was just fine and getting stronger every day. The bruises on my abdomen were proof of it.

But I was definitely worried, because first of all, Emily was in labor. She had the first two, both of the boys, just fine. But the girl was having trouble. I wasn't sure about the gory details, because I knew less about medical terms than Jacob did. I only knew that the thing would not come out, and she was in pain. A _lot_ of pain. People could hear the screams from all the way across the hall. Apparently the pain killers weren't working too well, either. Pretty soon, they would have to do an emergency C-Section. I wasn't sure how I felt about that.

But I probably wasn't near as freaked as Sam. I wasn't positive, because I hadn't brought up the courage to actually find him. It would be best not to see his face.

I also had other worries. Victoria was still coming after me. What would happen after she found out that me and Edward had split a long time ago? Would she give up, or would she keep going because she had nothing better to do with her life now than hunt me down?

So Jacob was on patrols right now, hunting Victoria still. And I was sitting here, pregnant, worried, and battling a fierce craving for a cheeseburger.

I sighed and stood up, stretching. I was getting fatter every day, and I always got momentary wide-eyed stares from the wolves, probably at the enormous day-to-day growth that they could catch even easier than I could.

"What day are you _due _again?"

"April 24th," I would say for the hundredth time.

They would shake their heads, and I would blush.

This had happened at least four times. But it did make me feel better that each of these times Jacob gave them a good slap on the back of the head.

I jumped when I thought I heard a rustling of the trees. It was probably nothing, so I continued clawing through the fridge, looking for some ground beef…

The noise came again.

I looked out the window, and there was nothing to be seen. _Odd_, I thought, but walked back to the kitchen.

As I was happily wolfing down –no pun intended- my burger, the noise came once more.

I grumbled and walked outside. I was going to fix this problem once and for all.

I looked at the trees and bushes by the window, I checked the backyard, I even walked over to my neighbor's house across the street as a last resort. The grumpy single old lady generally frowned upon me starting a family at such a young age. There was a mutual disliking between us, but I sometimes pitied her. Only _sometimes_. But aside from the rudeness of the old hag, there was still no reason I could fathom that would explain why I heard those noises. It was probably just some bird that hit the window but managed to get itself out, which did happen every once in a while.

Unsatisfied, I stomped back to the kitchen table and finished what I started.

When I was rinsing off the dirty plate, I momentarily turned around to grab a dish towel. Just when I was about to turn back around again, I caught something out of the corner of my eye. My entire body went cold, and I thought about running. Then again, that would be no use in this scenario.

A tall, catlike figure stood right behind me. It had frizzy, curly orange hair. I knew it well.

I thought about my options. Did I really have any? I was going to die, and my baby was going to die too. There was no way to save it. If I died, so did he. A single tear swept down my cheek.

"Well, look who we've got here," she said in a surprisingly high voice. It made my heart skip a beat.

"Please, you don't understand," I whispered.

"Oh, sweetheart, I think I understand perfectly,"

"No! Me and Edward are over. Look! Don't you see? I'm pregnant! He couldn't do that! We're over!" I pleaded.

"Yes, but he is still attached to you, even though you aren't to him, so that doesn't matter in the slightest for what I'm doing. My methods of revenge are still going to be… effective," A wicked smile spread over her face.

"That's not fair! He's still been… _hurt_, so technically, your mission has been carried out for you," I reasoned.

"Sure, he has been hurt, and I thank you for that. But I need to cause him more pain than just a simple break up. I lost my own, so it is only fair he loses the one who is important to him,"

"He'll find you. They both will. Edward and my soul mate will both be looking for you, and they will succeed," I swallowed with certainty.

"And that's fine. I won't get in their way. It was just my sole mission to give Edward and his coven what they deserve. My existence will be complete then. After all, what will I even do after that?" She spoke softly, angelically.

"But it's useless! You won't be accomplishing anything, because _we already split up_!" I could feel the frustration and anger bubble under my cold fear.

She said nothing, and her eyes tightened just the little bit. There was anger and longing in them, but also something else. Sadness? Maybe messing with her mind just might stall for a while.

"Nothing. Nothing, nothing, nothing. Your whole mission, your whole existence, is useless," I said icily.

She bared her teeth and grabbed her hair at the sides of her head, pulling at it. This was getting to her.

"Why do you even try? James is never coming back. He never even loved you. You were just a convenient tool to him. Even if you do kill me, it will be completely worthless," I taunted.

She screamed in fury, and ran right up to me, bringing her hand up in a claw-like position.

This was the end. I couldn't save my son, I couldn't save myself, and I couldn't keep Jacob or Edward from risking their lives to avenge me after I died.

_Jacob, I love you forever_, I thought.

I could almost hear Victoria's thoughts of shock and defiance when she was tackled by an enormous, furry russet figure that had come through the huge kitchen window.

She jumped right back up, and tried to run towards me, but Jacob blocked her again. He had the advantage, so he dragged her quickly out the back door, probably an effort to cause the least amount of damage to my house as possible.

At that thought, I suddenly remembered that people might have seen him. There was no one outside upon first glance, and most people were away at this time of day, so probably no one saw him. I looked out the other window then, and watched him back her to the woods where no one could see or hear them at all.

I leaned against the wall, then slowly sunk down into a sitting position. I cradled my enlarged stomach in my arms, keeping my son safe with me.

"Please, Jacob. Please be okay," I repeated over and over to myself. It wouldn't be okay unless he had help. But what could I do? What would be a distraction? The thought occurred to me immediately, and I almost hit myself for not thinking of it earlier. It was a long shot, but I was willing to try it.

I ran to the knife holder, and pulled out the sharpest one. No time to spare, I ran out the back door and onto the back porch. Without thinking, I took the knife out and pressed it to my palm.

"If you want it," I yelled out to Victoria and Jacob's general direction, "come and get it!"

And with that, I roughly yanked the blade across my palm. It caused a clean, but satisfyingly bloody slash right in the middle. I dropped the knife after I realized what I had done. There was silence, except for a high-pitched growl and several snapping branches.

She appeared out of nowhere, running towards me. And then Jacob's wolf form appeared right beside her, successfully taking her down. With his teeth, he ripped off the pale head overflowing with orange frizz. The body was not motionless, though. It kicked and flailed. My stomach hurled.

As if on cue, four other wolves appeared on the grizzly scene and dragged her body into the woods. Even here, I could smell smoke and random cheers.

As amazing as it was, not a single person witnessed this entire ordeal. It had all happened within the course of three minutes. All the emotion, fear, and relief hit me all at once. My brain couldn't handle it, and soon, everything went black.

The last thing I felt was a faint but obvious scream.


	13. Finally

**A/N:**

**So, Victoria is out of the picture, but what about Bella? So sorry about the long wait! I'm going to go ahead and write the last two chapters ahead of time. (Yep, I'm ending at chapter 15, and that is FINAL. For details, just send me a message.) Here's chapter thirteen! XOXO**

-Chapter 13-

I woke up in Jacob's arms. He was cradling me in an almost protective way; holding me close and bending over my body. It kept me very warm. I cuddled closer to him out of habit.

He gasped, and I realized that this was actually a surprise to him.

"Bella," he sighed, smiling.

I laughed, and leaned my head on his shoulder.

"Thank you," he whispered in my ear.

"I had to do something," I said as I shook my head.

"And aside from the fact you didn't really have to risk your life that way, I think you did what was needed. You should have seen the leech's face," He laughed.

"I think I was a little too distracted to notice _her_ face," I raised one eyebrow.

He shook his head. "True," And his expression changed to one of concern. "Are you okay?"

"Just fine. More than fine, actually,"

"Is _he_ okay?" His concern deepened.

"I didn't fall too hard, to my knowledge. I'm pretty sure he's fine, too," I nodded seriously.

He sighed with contentment. "No more vampires,"

"Hey, I always like to keep my options open," I teased.

"Sorry. I have you now. You're hitched for life," He gestured to my bump.

"Rats," I said in fake disappointment.

I wiggled, and he helped me sit upright on the sofa. Just then, a hysterical Embry came running into the room.

"Guys! Guys! I'm an uncle! A triple uncle!" he yelled.

"No way!" I jumped up. "When can we go see her?" I was practically singing with excitement.

Jacob gave him a high five, and we all took our separate means of transportation to the hospital. Every now and then, I wished that I could have super-human running skills.

Because there were so many of us, we were only allowed to go two at a time. Jacob and I had to be last, so when we finally got in, Emily and Sam were about to fall asleep right there. I didn't blame them in the slightest.

"Hey. We can come back tomorrow, if you want-" I began, but Emily cut me off in a tired voice, though not exactly weak.

"No. You came here, and you get to see them. Take your pick," she gestured to three little babies at the side of the room. Two of them were wrapped in blue, and one was wrapped in pink. I hurried over to get little Isabella Junior.

She was so cute. Her face looked almost exactly like her father, but she had her mother's eye shape and her mother's tall body, even as a newborn. They were going to have to fight to keep the boys off her. I laughed internally at the thought.

"She's beautiful," I told Emily. "And December 29th is a really good birthday for them," I added as an afterthought. She simply nodded in agreement.

I set her down as Jacob set Damian down. We left quickly, because anyone could tell they were practically out.

As we were walking down the hall, we both heard a loud thump as Sam fell to the floor, and a soft snore immediately followed.

"Sam? Sa- Oh, forget it," Emily sighed, and then another soft snore joined in.

I had to purse my lips to keep from laughing, and Jacob was practically turning red in his own effort.

On the way home, all was strangely quiet. Jacob was just staring out the windshield speculatively, obviously deep in thought. He was almost never like this, and that both frustrated and freaked me out a little. So, resisting the urge to break the silence, I sat and debated what he could be puzzling about. Maybe he was just thinking about the baby. Maybe actually seeing Emily's might have scared him a little. Maybe he thought he wasn't ready for it. That would be a very legitimate thing. However, he could be thinking just the opposite. Maybe seeing Emily's baby had made him really think about it and he was excited and wanted it even more. That was a long shot.

It took me a while to figure out that he had pulled into my driveway a while ago, and we were both still just sitting there. When we came to our senses, we both busted out laughing at the same time.

"How long have we actually been in this driveway?" I asked after my giggles had died down a bit.

"Forever, probably. Your dad might be thinking we're doing something we shouldn't be,"

"Jacob, I think that ship has _sailed_," At that, we broke into another round of hilarious laughing, and walked back into the house.

"Yeah, it definitely has," he shook his head.

******

The next morning was no help for my worries. Jacob claimed he had to go somewhere, even though I knew they were off patrols today, and he wouldn't tell me where.

I sat on my kitchen counter, scowling at the floor tiles. I wasn't exactly suspicious of anything bad, it was just the fact that I couldn't be in on his little secret frustrated me to no end. Just then, he walked through the doorway with a triumphant smile on his face.

"Hey, Bella. We're having a bonfire tonight, and I was wondering if you'd like to come," he smiled.

My brows furrowed and my eyes squinted in suspicion. What was he planning?

"Sure. Sure, I'd love to go," I said slowly.

He smiled wider, but his face changed as he remembered something. "Awesome. Um, I'm so sorry, but I have to go again. I'll pick you up at seven!" He yelled as he ran out the door.

I growled at the empty room, and slammed my palm on the counter in irritation.

******

Jacob came at exactly seven, as I knew he would. Was it just something about werewolves that gave them perfect timing?

I couldn't help smiling when I opened the door and saw him there. I stood on my toes and pulled his head down to kiss him. Curse my shortness.

He smiled too, and led me to the car.

All of us sat down around the huge fire. Except Emily, of course, but I was sure she put up an argument to come here.

The stories were amazing. I never knew the stories were like this. After Billy finally finished, everyone was silent, almost as if they were in a trance. Could this have been his little surprise? No, that didn't explain why he had disappeared to go somewhere.

"Hey, can you come take a walk with me?" Jacob asked nervously.

My heart started beating at a faster pace, and I felt myself begin to sweat. I felt all of their eyes on my face as I let Jacob pull me towards first beach.

He went and stood by the old white pine that had been our tree for some time. It was where we had sat the first time we met. It was a very personal and important place for us, and that wasn't a good thing.

This was bad. Very, very bad… My breathing became heavier and heavier as he waited for me to hobble over to him. He held his hand out.

He took it and looked me straight in the eyes.

"Well, I don't really know how to do this. I'm just as nervous as you are," he chuckled.

"Just say it. No matter what it is," I swallowed hard.

He sunk down on one knee. My eyes bulged and my heart stopped.

"I guess this was going to have to happen sometime, whether, er, some _complications_ occurred or not. You probably thought that we would wait a while, but Bella, I don't want to wait. I want you forever, and I think now is the right time. Will you marry me?" he bit his lip and waited for my answer.

This wasn't what I expected at all. It was the most wonderful thing I had ever heard. It was like music. I thought he was going to tell me something horrible like he had five hours to live, or something crazy like that. But _this, _this was perfect. I never thought my life would have a more perfect moment than this. Even through the course of all the happy times we had shared the past few days. This was better.

"Yes," I said fervently.

He smiled and pulled a little white box out of his back pocket.

"I didn't buy this myself, obviously. It's the ring my dad gave to my mom," he said quietly, and opened it.

It was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen. It had a delicate, thin gold band that looked strong, but also looked like you could break it with the slightest touch. In the center was a single, sparkling yellow diamond. I knew those were some of the rarest, and I wondered how on earth Billy had obtained it. It was square and had a million little facets; all so shiny you could almost blind yourself if you looked too closely.

I held out my left hand, in a ritual repeated a million times before, yet each one unique and genuine. He took out the ring, and slipped it onto the third finger. And the ceremony was complete.

I smiled, bit my lip to keep myself from crying, and threw my arms around him. We stayed there for a long time, but finally he had to break away.

"Let's go tell the others. None of them know, except for my dad, and it's bothered them pretty badly that I've managed to hide something from them. It's pretty hard when they can read your mind, but I managed to do it. They really want to know," he smiled and pulled me back to the campfire site.

"Well, it's about freaking time. I thought you guys had…" Jared's voice trailed off when he saw my ring sparkle in the moonlight. I smiled widely as all of their jaws dropped, except for Billy's. His eyes sparkled even more than the diamond.

They whooped, and swarmed around me all at once.

Billy stabbed a finger at both of us. "I want more than one grandkid, do you hear me? I want lots of them,"

I laughed, and nodded.

I looked down at my ring and twisted it around my finger a few times. It looked good there. It looked like it was meant to be there my whole life. It was exactly the right size. And Jacob was exactly the right husband.


	14. Birth

**A/N:**

**Chapter fourteen! I know this is a little vague and REALLY, REALLY short, but I didn't have much background experience on the subject, and this is really all the explanation that I can give for this one scene. I think I've ran through all my ideas at this point, but the next (and last) chapter will be better, and I'll try to make it good and long. Enjoy! XOXO**

-Chapter 14-

My nails dug into the hospital bed as I let out another scream. I knew that was just going to worry Jacob more, but I was in too much pain to care. At least the fact that I could squeeze the hell out of Jacob's hand without hurting him helped.

"One more!" the doctor yelled.

I gave it my all, though I was so tired. Half of me wanted to give up. But the other half wanted to see my son after he had been hidden for so long. One more, give it your all…

And then came a long, loud, piercing cry. I sighed with relief and exhaustion.

"It's a boy!" she said. Of course, I already knew that. Could we move on now?

"Born at exactly midnight on April 30th, 2006," the doctor smiled. "Congratulations,"

They took the red-faced, tight-fisted little human being over to another table at the side of the room.

"Seven pounds, three ounces. Not a small one," she laughed, and Jacob did, too. I couldn't really manage it at this point.

She and the nurses cleaned it, and wrapped it in a little blue blanket. Finally, what I had been waiting for all along. She brought it over to me and rested it in my arms.

I was immediately taken by him. He had the exact same skin tone as Jacob's, and just as beautiful, but that wasn't what took me. His eyes weren't my brown, not his black, but they were an amazing, bright, shocking _blue_. They were my mother's eyes, and there was no mistaking it. I gasped.

"Wow," Jacob whispered.

"Yeah. I didn't expect that,"

We held him for as long as we could, but eventually they had to take him back to the nursery. I was glad that I could finally get some much-needed shut eye before everyone came rushing in to see him.

I rested my head on the pillow, and let sleep wash over me.


	15. The End

**A/N:**

**First of all, I'm incredibly sorry that it's been so long. It has been almost 6 whole months. SIX! I almost gave up on this story. In fact, I pretty much did for a while. But I owe it to you to finish it as I promised. This is my first attempt at present-tense writing. It's harder than it looks, so I might've missed a few slips into past-tense even though I went over it several times.**

**I'm also sorry about the shortness of the last chapter. I really ripped you off on that one. So this chapter is extra long. The longest chapter in this story (Well, more like **_**novella**_**.) I'm so shocked at myself to be typing this. It's been quite an interesting time. I never expected to be able to finish an entire multi-chapter story. Thank you guys so much for your reviews, your feedback and everything. You've been so supportive and helpful. I really think my writing has grown since I started. **

**You can further quench your Team Jacob thirst with this amazing story that is my personal favorite: "Thousand Threads" by AkashaAvani. It is on my favorites list on my profile. It is the all-time best Jacob story and I HIGHLY recommend it. (Just so you know, it does have sex scenes.) **

**And if you're wondering what I'll be doing in the mean time, I am going to just be writing miscellaneous fanfictions, pretty much whatever is inspiring me at the time. I might even begin a sequel for this story. If you really want it request for it! And next time, I WILL have a premeditated plan on what exactly I'm going to do for the story to prevent the procrastination I so frequently fall victim to. **

**I know this Author's note is extremely long, so I'll go ahead and cut to the chase. Right after the release date of the **_**Eclipse**_** movie, (I was SO there at the midnight showing) enjoy the long overdue last chapter of my first Team Jacob fanfic, **_**Severed Trance.**_

**I love you all so, so, so much! XOXO  
~Casey**

-Chapter 15-

As I sit in the old chair in front of an enormous and intricately carved mirror, I can't help but feel a small sense of satisfaction.

I'm getting married today.

After breaking up with a vampire, accepting the true love of my life forever, making some real friends for once, and giving birth to a beautiful, russet skinned, blue eyed son, I am happy. Andrew and Jacob and the whole Quileute gang are my life now.

It is June 21, 2007; I'm nineteen, getting married in exactly 5 hours, and, according to the doctor, about six weeks pregnant with our second child. Jacob's child. Due February 7th, 2008. I haven't even told anyone yet, either. This time, I'm keeping a good secret for a while.

I remember my mother always telling me, "All's fair in love and war, Bella," And she's right. At least, whoever came up with the quote first was right. All is fair in love and war, because it all evens out in the end. Everything is _always_ right in the end.

So here I am, ready as ever to take on the world like a Viking, with a nervous smile and a fierce hatred of drawing attention to myself. Yep, I'm a Viking all right.

Then again, I suppose that's the reason I'm marrying Jacob in the first place. He knows who I am, and he wouldn't change it for the world. That's the only reason I'm sitting here in front of this mirror, with the slender-once-again Emily tapping her foot impatiently. If it weren't for him, I would have run away screaming half an hour ago. I know I've resisted her chiding with good reason.

"Okay, okay, okay!" I sigh, exasperated, "Do your worst; I'm ready,"

A smug and victorious smile spreads over Emily's face, and she gets to work without saying anything more.

I dose off every once in a while as she works, and try not to imagine what she's doing. I specifically asked for very light makeup, just something to cover up the bad parts of my face. To get my mind off of it, I decide to daydream a little more.

My son is almost 16 months old, with a full, bushy, jet black head of hair. He has an extremely sweet disposition, and doesn't cry near as much as most babies do. Not to mention, he's crazy smart, (something he got from my side, no offense to Jacob).

Jared and Kim eloped in early January of this year, rebelling from the still disapproving words of Kim's parents, telling them that they couldn't be together. It was really kind of a cliché love story, but it was nonetheless heartwarming. They are now crashing at the Clearwater's until they can get their own place. Sue insisted on taking them in from the start. She is just caring like that.

However, they got another surprise a few months ago; they're having a kid as well. It's going to be a girl, so little Bella Jr. won't be alone after all. They're naming her Charlotte, and she's due in October.

The werewolves are spreading like wildfire. It's almost scary.

Still on the subject of romance, both Embry and Leah imprinted. Leah's imprint, who is in fact a man, is just as cynical and grumpy as she is, so they make a good match. And you can't ignore the love in their eyes.

Embry's imprint, however, is completely opposite him. She's extremely outgoing and hyper, unlike his shy and laid back attitude. But again, their infatuation with each other is obvious.

I don't realize I have completely fallen asleep until Emily shakes my shoulder.

"I'm done," she announces proudly.

"Oh God, I can't look," I squeak.

"You should, because I think you look awesome,"

I decide to take her word for it just this once, and take a peek.

I'm surprised to see that she may not be so terribly wrong. I actually look _pretty_. A_ttractive_, even. I seem to actually look like what Jacob calls me on a regular basis. I don't know about _beautiful_, but it's a big improvement by my standards. She put no lip gloss on, I can tell. Smart thinking on her part for later. She mainly accented my eyes with creamy brownish colors, some mascara, and plenty of eyeliner that really gives it a sexy kick.

"You look wonderful," Emily whispers dreamily.

"Well, I think pretty is more accurate. I don't know about wonderful,"

"You know, Bella, I think how you look to yourself is always a few steps below what you actually look like to other people. I've even told others that, and they agree,"

I laugh. "Well, maybe that's true, and maybe it's not, but I'm getting hitched today, so it doesn't really matter. Now, Jacob will have to settle for me and like it,"

"Trust me, he does. He'd kill for you. But then again, he already has. Twice," She smiled, "They all have. I think we take them for granted sometimes. We really are the luckiest girls in the world; the werewolf imprint_ees_,"

"Now that's true,"

We sit there smiling for a while, just thinking.

Then Emily shakes her head and says, "C'mon, time's a-waistin', let's get your dress on!"

The grin instantly wavers and I groan.

"Let's go. Chop, chop!" She snaps her fingers and gestures for me to strip.

My gown is a vintage-ey ensemble that was off-white with age. I found it in the gown section in the back of a Vintage 60's store for $80. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. It was a size or two too big, but I bought it anyway with the intention of getting it fixed by the only tailor that I trusted: Margaret Call, Embry's mother.

She, too, was taken by the gown, and soon began making adjustments.

She took in the waist, hips, bust, shoulders, and sleeves, but kept the full body of the petticoat save taking down the height a little. It looked so Victorian that way, what with the corset and bustle. I also decided to keep most of the full neck collar, just taking it down a teensy bit.

I came back three weeks later to the gorgeous gown I now wear. I'll never be able to repay her for that, and she wouldn't accept any kind of real payment, just a promise that I would wear such a gorgeous gown proudly, and never lose it, damage it, or get rid of it. Like she even had to ask. Who would do such a thing anyway?

My hair is already put in a Victorian-style bun, with one piece of hair hanging down for a stylish touch.

As for the whole "Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue" thing, I already have it figured out.

Something old is the dress, something new is being married, something borrowed is the location of our ceremony, and something blue is the sky. (In case of a rainy day, it would have been my son's eyes, of course.)

"Okay, I think that's everything! I'm going to go get dressed and get Angela ready too. Sue'll be in here in a second to keep you company until it's time. See you in an hour!" Emily runs out the door into the hallway, but then pauses and runs back to poke her head back in.

"Remember; sit _sideways_ on your dress. Otherwise, that bustle will hurt your ass like hell," With that, she runs back down the hallway, just as Sue comes in.

"You look gorgeous!" She purses her lips with emotion for a second, then sits down in the chair next to me and starts to knit with the supplies in her purse.

I stare out the window. Our location is at a gorgeous farm outside of town, in an even more rural area than Forks or La Push. The man who owns it was a widower and extremely sweet. He said he would be happy to rent it out, as he would be gone at the market this weekend. We redid his old barn (he said we could go crazy with it, he doesn't use it anymore.) and took out the stalls to make seating and an aisle in the middle. It was repainted red, and by the time we were done, it looked like it probably did 20 years ago. We kept the doors, so the wedding would be totally private.

Outside the barn, connected to it by a white walkway so we don't have to step in the wet grass, is an enormous white circus tent that we stole from a circus in Port Angeles. They weren't using it anymore anyway. It was dirty, but the entire Quileute pack and I cleaned it with hoses, and then painted the entire thing white over a period of 6 weeks. We worked as a team, and it was probably the most fun I've ever had in my life. There was plenty of goofing off.

Everyone pitched in with the food. Each guest is bringing something out of pure generosity; we could have made our own. We'll all have more than enough, and plenty of variety.

All the furniture and decorations are our own or we made them. The music, technology, and lighting are courtesy of Eric Yorkie, the technopath. He's taking care of it all for a great price. Everything else was taken care of by our families. With absolutely everything included, our wedding only cost about $700. On average, most people pay _literally_ 100 times that much money for a wedding. We prefer to do it ourselves, and we can't be happier. It's so much more fulfilling.

I sigh happily.

"All right, all right, the ceremony's in 15 minutes! Let's go!" Emily and Angela, my two best friends and bridesmaids, skip in. There isn't a maid of honor. I love them just the same, and I think it's ridiculous to feel like I have to decide who I like better.

I told them beforehand to just wear whatever dress they wanted to, and they look great. I assume they took it upon themselves to coordinate colors and styles. Apparently they chose green halter dresses to match the green grass and the summer-farm style. Fine by me; it's adorable.

"Love the dresses," I try to smile, but the nerves are starting to hit me like the riptides that stalk the deeper waters of La Push.

Then I remember the things that always calm me down. I think of _him_. The way he holds me close at night, still protecting me even though it's hardly necessary anymore, the way he smiles whenever he sees me, the way he tells me he loves me whenever possible, just to make sure I know, and the way he somehow never loses interest whatsoever.

The only time I ever see him look at another girl when he doesn't have to be is when they're staring at _him_. Then he proceeds to pull me closer with a smug smile directed squarely at them, as if to say, _Yeah, like I'd ever take you in a million years when I've got her_. I love it when he does that.

And by now, I feel completely content.

"All right, I'm ready," I say.

They walk us into our positions outside of the barn, and Charlie walks toward me.

"You know I'm happy for you, right Bells?" he says quietly.

"I hope so, because this is forever," I assure him.

"I hope that too. You and Jake were meant for each other. Me and Billy have been planning this since you two were born. It's just too perfect,"

"Sometimes I wonder if it _is_ too perfect,"

"Now, don't start getting cold feet now,"

"What? Of course not! That's not what I meant either,"

"What did you mean?"

"I meant that sometimes I wonder if I'll just suddenly wake up and find that it had never happened at all. Find that it was all a dream…." I begin to trail off.

"That's how I felt when you were born. You were so beautiful; it was almost like a dream,"

"Dad…." I do the classic embarrassed whine.

"It's true. And I know that Jacob can take care of you. The kid's enormous, after all. And he's crazy about you,"

"I know,"

The wedding march begins, and my heart drops to my stomach. A mixture of excitement and nerves washes over me once again, and Charlie has practically pull me down the aisle because I can't quite feel my legs.

_One, two, step. One, two, step. One, two, step. One, two, step. _

And then Jacob comes into view.

Suddenly I understand what Jacob was talking about when he described how it felt to imprint. Seeing him is like being blind and seeing the sun for the first time. My own personal sun. How could anyone ever overlook such a treasure?

_One, two, step. One, two, step. One, two, step. One, two, step._

The wolf pack is sitting all together near the front row, with their family, plus all of Jacob's relatives on one side. Then my family, my mother, father, Phil, aunts, uncles, cousins; the whole nine yards, sits on the other. They are all here to celebrate. And, of course, being held for the moment by my mom, is little Andrew. He looks too much like Jacob already. It isn't fair. They are like twins. Maybe the second one will look a little more like me.

_One, two, step. One, two, step. One, two, step. One, two, step._

I can already hear my mother crying, and I see her hand the baby to Charlie and start full-on bawling before the ceremony even starts. It's so like her.

As I grow nearer to the (temporary) altar, my heart is going at an even faster pace.

_One, two, step. One, two, step. One, two, step, and….._

We stop just in front of the platform, Charlie kisses both of my cheeks in the classic gesture, and he gives my arm to Jacob, who helps me up as he grins his toothy grin and his black eyes sparkle. I can't help but grin back.

Our vows are the traditional ones. We didn't want anything fancy, or –God forbid- one of those horridly sappy and extremely long custom vows that the bride and groom write themselves. When the idea came up, we both shuddered at the thought. No, this one would be different.

And finally the moment came.

"Do you, Jacob Black, take Isabella swan to be your lawfully wedded wife, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?" The priest asked.

"I do," he said in an even more husky tone than usual.

"And do you, Isabella Swan, take Jacob Black to be your lawfully wedded husband, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

"I do," I say in a stronger voice than I expect.

"Jacob, repeat after me: With this ring-"

"With this ring," he repeats.

"-I thee wed,"

"I thee wed," he says, slipping the simple gold band onto my finger.

"Bella, repeat after me: With this ring-"

"With this ring," My voice is starting to get husky now too.

"-I thee wed,"

"I thee wed," I mimic, slipping in return the gold band on Jacob's finger.

"By the power invested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride," He finishes.

I can't say who starts the kiss, but it is probably both of us. All I know is it's the sweetest I have ever felt. It doesn't last very long; it doesn't need to. Only a few seconds at the most.

But in the blink of an eye, I am married.

Everyone stands up and applauds, and by now my mother has her makeup all over her face.

As I'm hugged by all my friends and family I get that same satisfaction I felt when I looked at the beautiful old mirror. For once, everything is where it should be. And I wouldn't change it for the world.

"Now let's PARTY!" Quil yells, and everyone cheers and sprints into the circus tent. Even from here, I can hear champagne corks popping and people whooping and hollering.

By the time everyone else is gone, and it's just an empty barn, I steal one more kiss from Jacob. This time, we're alone, so it lasts a little longer. He wraps both arms around me and pulls me as close as possible, pouring everything into one moment.

"I love you," He says simply.

"Ditto," I smile, and pull him towards the circus tent where everyone else is probably already having a blast without us.

"Aww…. Do we _have_ to? Can't we just stay here and have an early honeymoon?" He smiled suggestively.

"Nope, you completed half the deal, now it's time to finish the second half. Besides, this part is more fun! C'mon!" I pull his hand harder.

"Not as much fun as this though," He pulls me to him and presses his lips to mine once again.

"Maybe not," I say, a little disoriented, "But _booze_ makes _that_ part even more fun!" But just as I say that, I remember that I can't actually have any, and there's something I had totally forgotten about before that is kind of extremely important.

"Hey, you're right! Let's g-"

"Wait, there's something I have to tell you!"

"What?" He looked slightly concerned.

"It's kind of shocking,"

"You just realized you're a lesbian and you want a divorce?" he said in mock horror.

"What? No! This is serious!" I glared at his laughter.

"All right, all right, I'm sorry. What is it?" he said, composing himself.

"I'm pregnant again," I say quietly.

His eyes bulge.

"And I've also been offered a job as a teacher in Forks Middle School. They have a huge need for teachers so they're willing to pay me a _lot_ of money. Like at least 60 grand a year, which is absolutely ridi-"

He cuts me off by putting a finger on my mouth, and I furrow my eyebrows. "Shh," he says quietly, "I hear something,"

He turns around, and I do as well. I'm so shocked by what I see that I almost choke on air.

Out on the opposite side of the field on the other side of the barn from the tent, stands all seven members of the Cullen clan. They're not sad or angry. They're not even wary. They look happy. They hold their hands out in a peace gesture, showing that they're not here to attack anyone.

"I know that this kind of goes against everything I've said, but I'd really like to go see them," I whisper to Jacob.

He sighs in defeat. "I knew you were just mad when you said you never wanted to see them again. Go ahead," He smiles.

I smile back at him, whisper a quick thank-you, and run towards the pale figures, all beaming wider as they see me come closer. Other than that, though, they don't move a muscle until I am standing right in front of them.

"I- you- when- how-" I sputter, right as Alice slams into me with a bear hug that could give Emmett a run for his money. I hug her back.

"I missed you," I sigh, "I missed you all,"

I give everyone a hug, even Jasper (who seems to have gotten better with the whole not killing me thing), until I come to Edward.

"Edward," I hold out my hand, and he shakes it and smiles.

"MOMMA, MOMMA!" screams a familiar voice. I turned around and pick up Andrew, right as Jacob walks up beside me and hugs my waist, wearing his classic smug smile.

All the vampires look surprised, except for Rosalie, who is absolutely entranced. I know her particular story. She always wanted a child of her own.

"SMELL!" Andrew announces, waving his pudgy little hand in front of his nose.

Everyone laughs.

"Well, it is wonderful to see all of you again, but we also came here for another reason," Carlisle announces, "We wanted to ask the wolf pack's permission to move back again,"

"We really miss it here," Esme adds, taking Carlisle's hand.

"Maybe it's just because I'm in a good mood today," Jacob squeezes me tighter, "but I guess I don't care if you move back to the house you lived in before. As long as the treaty is renewed,"

"Of course," Esme grins, showing her dimples.

"Would you like to join the party?" I asked.

"No, that's okay, we just wanted to say hello," Alice says, "and we're still friends, right?"

"Who else is going to coach my style choices?" I laugh.

"That's about the truth," Alice murmurs, taking Jasper's hand.

Edward flashes us his signature crooked smile, surprisingly wholesomely, and turns to leave with the others.

"Oh! And congratulations on the second baby on the way!" Esme yells as they disappeared completely into the mist.

"Speaking of which…" he looks at me, smiles, and picks me up in a whirl-around hug, "Why didn't you tell me before? How long have you known?"

"I wanted to wait for exactly the right time, and I found out about two weeks ago,"

"When are you due?"

"February,"

"Wait, and what about the job?"

"Oh, Jacob! It's gonna be awesome! With you opening up your garage and all -Which, by the way, is a really good thing considering Dowling's needs some competition- we should be able to get a house no problem after a while!"

We sit there and looked at each other for a moment, just enjoying the feeling of everything being perfect and right.

"Come on," I say, "Let's get to the reception. It's been almost 15 minutes! They're probably wondering where we are!"

"You know the only thing that sucks about this though?"

"What?"

"You can't drink," He chuckles.

"I think I can live with it,"

The reception is a blast, and I don't think I've ever seen anything more funny than 5 drunken werewolves singing ancient tribal songs that are probably really secret but it's not like they give a crap. And me and Jacob sit and laugh hysterically watching them, holding hands the entire time and just never letting go.

But the honeymoon is the best part. I love Jacob more than anything else on this world, and I know he feels the same.

So here I am, the trance is gone forever, and I have my personal sun right beside me, holding me in his arms, making a silent promise that he is the one person that will never let go. Forever.


End file.
